World Immunisation Week takes place from 24 to 30 April each year. It is an opportunity to underscore the importance of immunisation in saving lives and encourage families to vaccinate their children against deadly diseases.
This year the theme is “Long Life for All” – In pursuit of a long life well-lived.
The ultimate goal of World Immunisation Week is for more people – and their communities – to be protected from vaccine-preventable diseases.
Through its convening power, World Health Organisation works with countries across the globe to raise awareness of the value of vaccines and immunisation and ensures that governments obtain the necessary guidance and technical support to implement high-quality immunisation programmes.
This worldwide collaboration provides an opportunity to boost momentum and focus on specific actions such as:
- raising awareness on how immunisation saves lives;
- increasing vaccination coverage to prevent disease outbreaks;
- reaching underserved and marginalised communities ― particularly those living in remote areas, deprived urban settings, fragile states and strife-torn regions ― with existing and newly available vaccines; and
- reinforcing the medium- and long-term benefits of immunisation, giving children a chance to grow up healthy, go to school and improve their life.
Sources:
https://www.gov.za/globalafrican-vaccination-week-0
World Immunization Week 2022 (who.int)