Publication date: Jul 18, 2024

Tetanus remains a considerable cause of mortality among undervaccinated mothers and their infants following unhygienic deliveries, especially in low-income countries. Strategies of the maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination (MNTE) initiative, which targets 59 priority countries, include strengthening antenatal immunization of pregnant women with tetanus toxoid-containing vaccines (TTCVs); conducting TTCV supplementary immunization activities among women of reproductive age in high-risk districts; optimizing access to skilled birth attendants to ensure clean deliveries and umbilical cord care practices; and identifying and investigating suspected neonatal tetanus cases. This report updates a previous report and describes progress toward MNTE during 2000-2022. By December 2022, 47 (80%) of 59 priority countries were validated to have achieved MNTE. In 2022, among the 50 countries that reported coverage with ≥2 doses of TTCV among pregnant women, 16 (32%) reported coverage of ≥80%. In 2022, among 47 validated countries, 26 (55%) reported that ≥70% of births were assisted by skilled birth attendants. Reported neonatal tetanus cases worldwide decreased 89%, from 17,935 in 2000 to 1,995 in 2021; estimated neonatal tetanus deaths decreased 84%, from 46,898 to 7,719. However, the global disruption of routine immunization caused by the COVID-19 pandemic impeded MNTE progress. Since 2020, reported neonatal tetanus cases have increased in 18 (31%) priority countries. Integration of MNTE strategies into priority countries’ national postpandemic immunization recovery activities is needed to achieve and sustain global elimination.

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