GAVI is taking steps to achieve this. And if all countries were to introduce all 11 vaccines widely enough, while at the same time strengthening their routine immunisation systems, then by 2030 we could see nine out of 10 children fully immunised. But to achieve this we need to move away from antiquated indicators and look instead at finding ways to monitor the child and their full level of protection.
It is only by counting the number of fully immunised children – the number of children in the world that have received all 11 vaccines by their first birthday – that we can fully take advantage of the power of vaccines and make every child count.
This article appeared in print under the headline "The missing metric".
Seth Berkley heads the GAVI Alliance, a public-private partnership that saves children's lives and protects health by increasing access to immunisation in poorer countries. It has helped vaccinate 440 million children so far
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