Overview:
The World Immunization Week, celebrated in the last week of April, aims to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against diseases.
Immunization is a global health and development success story, saving millions of lives every year. Vaccines reduce risks of getting a disease by working with your body’s natural defenses to build protection. When you get a vaccine, your immune system responds.
We now have vaccines to prevent more than 20 life-threatening diseases, helping people of all ages live longer, healthier lives. Immunization currently prevents 2-3 million deaths every year from diseases like diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, influenza and measles.
Immunization is a key component of primary health care and an indisputable human right. It’s also one of the best health investments money can buy. Vaccines are also critical to the prevention and control of infectious disease outbreaks. They underpin global health security and will be a vital tool in the battle against antimicrobial resistance.
Facts:
- Vaccines help immunity system make antibodies, just as they do when exposed to a disease, but this is different from having a disease; because vaccines contain only dead or weakened forms of germs, such as viruses or bacteria. Therefore, it does not cause disease, or expose you to the risk of its complications.
- Immunization saves millions of lives every year and is widely recognized as one of the world’s most successful and cost-effective health interventions. Yet, there are still nearly 20 million children in the world today who are not getting the vaccines they need. Many of them also lose their vaccine-acquired immunity during adolescence, adulthood, and senility.
Objectives:
Protecting more people and their communities from vaccine-preventable diseases.
Official Date:
Globally: 24-30/4/ 2022
Locally: 23-29/9/1443H.
Theme:
«Long Life for All»
References:
World Health Organization (WHO)