10 Facts About Immunization Worldwide

World Malaria Day is April 25th and in honor of that here are 10 facts about immunization and vaccines and how groups like the World Health Organization and UNICEF are saving lives through immunization worldwide.

1. April 24-30 is World Immunization Week

The last week of April each year is marked by WHO and partners as World Immunization Week. It aims to raise public awareness of how immunization saves lives, encouraging people everywhere to vaccinate themselves and their children against deadly diseases.

In 2013, under the global slogan “Protect your world – get vaccinated”, more than 180 countries, territories and areas marked the week with activities including vaccination campaigns, training workshops, round-table discussions and public information campaigns.

The theme of World Immunization Week 2014 is “Are you up-to-date?” and encourages people to find out what vaccines are available, check their vaccination status, and get the vaccines they need.

2. Immunization is one of the most successful and cost-effective public health interventions.

3. Immunization averts an estimated 2 to 3 million deaths every year from diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), and measles

4. During 2012, about 110.6 million infants worldwide received vaccines through the combined efforts of the WHO and UNICEF.

Also in 131 countries had reached at least 90% coverage of DTP3

5. Only two diseases have been completely eradicated

Small pox was eradicated in 1979 and Rinderpest was eradicated in 2010.

However, with increased access to vaccines through the WHO and UNICEF programs many more could be eliminated.

6. If vaccines were made available to all the following diseases would be eradicated

Chicken Pox, Diphtheria, Invasive H. Flu or Hib, Malaria, Measles, Whooping Cough, Pneumococcal disease, Polio, Typhoid Fever, and Yellow Fever.

Vaccines exist for all of these diseases and they could all be eliminated through immunization of all infants and children.

7. In 2012, an estimated 22.6 million infants worldwide were not reached with routine immunization services, of whom more than half live in three countries: India, Indonesia and Nigeria.

8. UNICEF, alone, supplies vaccines reaching 36% of the world’s children

9. Immunization has the potential to boost a country’s growth.

The infrastructure, management and acceptability of immunization programs offer a platform to deliver other integrated health and nutrition interventions.

10. Vaccines Work!