Building Unity through Immunity
The concept of vaccination has been around for hundreds of years, from ancient China to Edward Jenner’s successful vaccination against smallpox in 1796. Since then, vaccines have been developed for 17 diseases and are estimated to save 3-4 million lives every year.
Word Immunization Week occurs every year during the last week of April and aims to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against preventable disease. The theme for this year’s campaign is “Vaccines bring us closer” and aims to spread the following messages:
We have sacrificed a lot to keep our communities safe throughout the pandemic and vaccines bring us closer to doing what we love with those we love. Vaccination offers the clearest path back to normal.
In the past 30 years, child deaths have decreased by over 50% largely due to vaccines. Vaccines bring us closer to a world where no one suffers or dies from a vaccine-preventable disease.
Immunization reaches more people than any other health service and is one of the best tools to improve global health and well-being. Vaccines bring us closer to a healthier, more prosperous world.
To learn more about World Immunization Week, visit https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-immunization-week.
