World Immunization Week 2012

Global attention on immunization

World Immunization Week, which takes places from 21-28 April, is an opportunity to underscore the importance of immunization in saving lives and to encourage families to vaccinate their children against deadly diseases. Through its convening power, WHO works with countries across the globe to raise awareness of the value of vaccines and immunization and ensures that governments obtain the necessary guidance and technical support to implement high quality immunization programmes.

This worldwide collaboration provides an opportunity to boost momentum and focus on specific actions such as:

• raising awareness on how immunization saves lives;
• increasing vaccination coverage to prevent disease outbreaks;
• reaching underserved and marginalized 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 immunization, giving children a chance to grow up healthy, go to school and improve their life prospects.

FULL ARTICLE: http://www.who.int/immunization/newsroom/events/immunization_week/2...