Vaccination Rate: USA Worse Than Botswana, Gambia and Kenya

According to a new survey, even the most poor and volatile regions of Africa have higher immunization rates than the USA or Canada.

Moreover, in the face of North America experiencing the worst outbreak of measles in the last 15 years, Africa now leads the world in preventing the disease reported the Guardian.

A United Nations report indicates that both the USA with a 91% vaccination rate, and Canada with an 84% rate, fall below the necessary 95% “herd immunity” required to stem the spread of contagious diseases.

Surprisingly, an annual report by Good Governance Africa (GGA) confirmed that 16 African countries have reached 100% vaccination rates, an almost 40% increase since 2000. Those countries include: Tanzania, Morocco, Libya, Mauritius, Eritrea, Gambia and Egypt. Five others – Zimbabwe, Algeria, Kenya, Botswana and Lesotho, have higher rates than the US.

With the advent of improved communication, social mobilization, counseling and funding, measles deaths were reduced in Africa 91% from 2000 until 2007. World Health Organization’s director general of health, Margaret Chan, called the improvement “a major public health success and a tribute to the dedication of the countries in the African region.”

Yet, according to GGA’s researcher, Kate Van Niekerk, despite Africa’s improvement with administering measles vaccinations across Africa, there are still area’s not being helped. Van Niekerk points out that 400 Africans die every day from measles.