World Immunizations

klstorytime
Apr 28, 2016
1 min read

World Immunization Week 2016

Close the Immunization Gap

As you guessed, and keeping with my weekly themes, this week we recognize

World Immunization Week 2016

as the topic of the week!

WHO is working with low immunization rate countries to improve their immunization coverage. The Global Vaccine Action Plan (GVAP) is a roadmap to hopefully prevent millions of death from vaccine preventable diseases. Unfortunately in April 2015 WHO said that 5 of the 6 GVAP targets were off-track. So the GVAP has 3 initiates to "closing the immunization gap".

1. Integrate immunization with other health services.

2. Strengthening health systems so that vaccines are continually given even in times of crisis.

3. Assuring that everyone has access to vaccines and resources to pay for vaccines.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is an awesome resource of information about worldwide vaccinations. You can find their information at http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs378/en/

Many people don't know this but immunizations can prevent illness and death. A few of the vaccine preventable diseases include cervical cancer, diphtheria, hepatitis B, measles, mumps, pertussis (whooping cough), pneumonia, polio, rotavirus, rubella and tetanus. A brief description of the disease can be found on the WHO.org website.

It is estimated that the diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough) and measles vaccines stop 2-3 million deaths per years. This vaccine given to children has remained fairly steady the past several years. Overall global vaccination coverage has remained fairly steady the past several years, too.

However it is estimated that nearly 19 million infants worldwide are still missing basic vaccines!