Apr 29, 2013

World Immunization Week, what can we do?







According to the World Health Organization (WHO) immunization currently averts an estimated 2 to 3 million deaths every year. It is one of the most successful and cost-effective health interventions. The immunization protects against previously common and epidemic infectious diseases such as diphtheria, measles, whooping cough, pneumonia, polio, rubella and tetanus. However, an estimated 22 million infants worldwide are still missing out on basic vaccines. This could be due to limited resources including limited funds, competing health priorities as some nations have more urgent health issues to deal with including but not limited to malnutrition, this could also be due to poor management of health systems; and inadequate monitoring and supervision.
This should not let us forget the personal responsibility: some people refuse vaccination based on lack of knowledge of its importance, some due to false beliefs even if it was available and freely offered. It is the duty of the governments and the health officials to advice people on the importance of vaccination, that it not only protects their children, but the entire society from possibly deadly outbreaks.

Let us stand hand in hand and support vaccinating our kids, inform the society about the vaccine benefits and when possible try to deflate false information. The web including the social media is a very vital place where information can be quickly disseminated; let us try to share the correct message with the world. Let us protect our children.

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