[Child mortality for children under five years of age declined seven fold in Guinea-Bissau over the latest 40 years].

Observations on child mortality in Guinea-Bissau developed the idea of vaccines having non-specific effects (NSEs) not being explained by the prevention of the targeted infections. The live vaccines against measles, tuberculosis, polio and smallpox have beneficial NSEs, but the inactivated vaccines are associated with negative effects for female survival. The repeated campaigns with polio and measles vaccines have been particularly effective in reducing child mortality. Hence, stopping live vaccines after eradication could have negative consequences for child survival.