World Immunization Week: 'The Big Catch-Up'

World Immunization Week is celebrated annually in the last week of April. This year, the theme is ‘The Big Catch-Up’.

Highlights:

Vaccines have saved millions of lives annually
World Immunization Week is celebrated every year in the last week of April, and the theme for this year is ‘The Big Catch-Up’
The aim of the theme is to bring awareness to how the pandemic has caused people to miss their vaccinations, and it’s time to catch up and get back on track

Vaccines are one of the most important inventions in medicine. They can help protect adults and children from various diseases. In many ways, vaccines save lives, and encouraging immunization is of utmost importance.

World Immunization Week is usually celebrated in the last week of April. In 2023, the week is observed from 24 April to 30 April. This week's major goal is to disseminate awareness of the advantages of immunization and to persuade people to receive vaccines, both of which contribute to stopping the spread of fatal diseases.

World Immunization Week 2023 will focus on prioritizing spreading awareness about the urgency of immunization and vaccines so that governments can also launch effective immunization programs for providing technical assistance and crucial information.

Immunization
Protect your child from various deadly diseases by giving the vaccinations at the right age. This tool helps you schedule the vaccinations of your child.

‘Let’s work together to educate adults and children on the protective power of vaccines this World Immunization Week from 24 April to 30 April 2023’

Theme of World Immunization Week 2023: ‘The Big Catch-Up’

Every year, the WHO comes up with a theme for the week. This year, the theme for World Immunization Week 2023 is ‘The Big Catch-Up’. The focus of the theme is to fast-track progress towards ensuring that everyone, especially children can be protected from preventable diseases. This is especially important because of how the COVID-19 pandemic affected routine immunization services in various countries, leaving many people vulnerable to diseases that can easily be prevented by vaccines.

The theme spotlights the pressing need to catch up on missed vaccinations and to increase access to immunization, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

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What is the Significance of World Immunization Week 2023?

Many might ask what’s so special about this week. World Immunization Week is a significant international event because it promotes an understanding of the value of immunization and how it protects people and communities from diseases that can be prevented.

No matter where they live, people of all ages should have access to safe and effective vaccines. The week-long campaign aims to highlight this exact need.

Herd immunity is the term used to describe the indirect defense against infectious diseases that develops when a sizable portion of the population develops immunity to the disease due to immunization or prior exposure. This type of immunity aids in illness prevention in people who are unable to receive the vaccine.

Herd immunity can help prevent the spread of many infectious diseases, like measles, polio, and COVID-19.

World Immunization Week
Nearly 19 million children all around the world don't get vaccinated. The world immunization week, aims to rectify this problem as its only purpose is to highlight the need for every person to stay protected from vaccine-preventable diseases.

What is the History Behind World Immunization Week?

The World Health Assembly, the decision-making body of the WHO, endorsed World Immunization Week in May 2012. Prior to 2012, Immunization Week activities were held on various dates around the world.

In 2012, the world's first ‘World Immunization Week’ was observed, with over 180 countries and territories participating at the same time.

World Immunization Week highlights the vital role vaccines play in promoting public health and preventing epidemics. The campaign aims to improve vaccine coverage rates and address vaccine hesitancy by providing accurate information about the safety and efficacy of vaccines.

Reference:

World Immunization Week 2023 - 24 to 30 April - (https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-immunization-week/2023)

Source-Medindia

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World Immunization Week is observed between the 24th – 30th April and aims to ensure everyone is protected from deadly infections through vaccines and to celebrate vaccine heroes across the world who help to make this goal a reality.