PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):— Preparations are well underway around the world including the Americas to profile the importance of childhood vaccines.
Vaccination Week of the Americas (VWA) 2021, also referred to as World Immunization Week, will take place between April 24-30. This will be the 19th annual VWA and will take place under the theme, ‘Vaccines bring us closer. #GetVax.’
During the aforementioned period, public health agencies will aim to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against disease.
The Collective Prevention Services (CPS), a department of the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour, will be providing information to the community about the importance of childhood vaccines prior to the start of VWA, during the week and after profiling each vaccine and the benefits that come with each one.
According to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Vaccination Week in the Americas, and as the World Health Organizations (WHO), “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, and many miss out on vital vaccines during adolescence, adulthood, and into old age.”
VWA includes the participation of 45 countries and territories in the Americas.
Immunization prevents illness, disability, and death from vaccine-preventable diseases including cervical cancer, diphtheria, hepatitis B, measles, mumps, pertussis (whooping cough), pneumonia, polio, rotavirus, diarrhea, rubella, and tetanus.
