According to a comprehensive new analysis that includes everything from infections and chronic disease to life expectancy across the continent and portions of Central Asia, Europe’s health progress is “stagnating” and, in some cases, regressing.
According to the new 2024 European Health Report, gaps in vaccination coverage have exacerbated in certain countries in the EU, resulting in the comeback of illnesses such as measles and pertussis.
According to the new research, there were over 58,000 measles cases in 41 countries in 2023 and 87,000 pertussis cases, the most tremendous amount in the recent decade. Only seven countries in the region – Hungary, Kazakhstan, Malta, Portugal, Slovakia, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan – have more than 95% coverage of three critical vaccines for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis; measles; and pneumococcal infections.
The newly published study, which is presented every three years by the World Health Organization’s European regional office, comes as countries face some issues, including an aging population and climate change.
While progress was being made, it has stalled, and we know the COVID pandemic has had an impact. Still, we can’t just sit back and be complacent,” Dr Natasha Azzopardi-Muscat, WHO Europe’s Director of Country Health Policies and Systems, told Euronews Health during a press conference.
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