Preventing Rotavirus through comprehensive vaccine access

Diarrhea sickens and kills more children than virtually any other illness.
The Rotavirus Organization of Technical Allies (ROTA) is working to change this.

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Part 1 The work to end rotavirus

Despite the fact that safe, effective vaccines exist that can prevent rotavirus, the disease continues to kill nearly half a million children each year and hospitalizes millions more. Rotavirus vaccines are the most powerful tool to protect children, yet families in many parts of the world do not have access to them. The Rotavirus Organization of Technical Allies (ROTA) was created to change this.

From 2010 to 2022, we promoted the use of rotavirus vaccines as part of a comprehensive approach to addressing diarrheal disease, with the ultimate goal to save lives and improve health.

Over the course of our work, we were able to work closely with regional and in-country champions to help raise awareness of the rotavirus disease burden and potential impact of vaccines in reducing that burden; provide scientific and technical evidence-based information to policymakers and other key decisions makers to support informed decision-making; strengthen partnerships across the diarrheal disease community to build support for rotavirus vaccine introduction; support decision-making at the country, regional and global levels by providing evidence to accelerate the introduction of rotavirus vaccines. Over the 11 years that the ROTA Council has been active, the number of countries that have introduced rotavirus vaccines has drastically increased from just 10 countries in 2011 to 116 in 2022. 

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Enjoy this brief video to learn more about ROTA’s work of over 10 years, the progress that has been made in addressing morbidity and mortality from rotavirus disease, and the work still needed to reach all children who need rotavirus vaccines.