Marrakech – Morocco has achieved 95% vaccination coverage, while the immunisation rate increases to 99% for some vaccines, said Minister of Health, Anas Doukkali, on Wednesday, in Marrakech.
“Today, Morocco has introduced more than 13 vaccines including 12 vaccines dedicated to children under 5 and another vaccine for women to prevent neonatal tetanus,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the ceremony hosted by Princess Lalla Meryem, Chairperson of the National Observatory for Children Rights, to present the results of 30 years of action in serving child vaccination rights.
The vaccination coverage of 95% is a high achievement considering the global coverage has remained at 86% for the past two years.
Efforts are aimed this year at improving rates of vaccination against hepatitis B and to achieve a coverage rate of 99%, said Anas Doukkali.
Morocco, who has eliminated tetanus, “will surely eliminate poliomyelitis and diphtheria,” the minister pointed out.
“The Kingdom has managed to drastically reduce the number of people with multiple infectious diseases through immunization.”
Thanks to the King Mohammed VI’s solicitude and the involvement of Lalla Meryem, Morocco is celebrating a 30-year implementation of the national immunisation program under the slogan “30 years in serving children vaccination rights.”
Since the national immunisation program was institutionalised back in 1987, huge progress has been made in the health sector thanks to vaccines – mainly with poliomyelitis and diphtheria, given that no cases were reported since 1987 and 1991, respectively.
