Exploring COVID-19 pandemic side effects: The case of routine immunization in Afghanistan

Immunization is a key component of primary health care systems and is globally accepted as a cost-effective intervention, preventing 2-3 million deaths annually, as well as illnesses and disabilities resulting from vaccine-preventable diseases [1]. The COVID-19 pandemic has seriously impacted individuals and communities across the globe, disrupted health systems, and significantly affected routine immunization (RI) [2]. To mitigate transmission and reduce impact, most countries started control measures that unfortunately disrupted their health systems. The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), World Health Organization (WHO), and the Global Alliance for Vaccination and Immunization (GABI) warned that at least 80 million children under the age of one year are at risk of contracting vaccine-preventable diseases during the pandemic; the WHO even developed guiding principles of immunization services and priorities to strengthen and sustain primary health care including RI during the pandemic [3]. © 2022 THE AUTHOR(S)