An NGO, Global Media Foundation in affiliation with Health Aid West Africa has outlined strategies to promote world immunization week 2015 which runs from April 24 – 30 every year.
This is to ensure that marginalized children in remote communities world-wide who have not yet received the full course of even the most basic vaccines have access.
According to statistics, there are still more than 20 million children world-wide who have not yet received the full course of even the most basic vaccines.
At a media briefing in Sunyani to outdoor the strategy, the Founder/CEO of the Foundation, Raphael Godlove Ahenu Jr said , 21.5 million children in 2013 across the world does not receive a full course of even the most basic vaccines, let alone more recently developed ones.
Mr. Ahenu Jr. noted that If countries improved routine immunization coverage by an additional 2% per year, it would avert approximately 300,000 additional deaths of children due to vaccine-preventable diseases
According to the most recent estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO) about 1.5 million children die every year of vaccine-preventable diseases.
The week, he noted is an important opportunity for CSOs, NGOs, CBOs, FBOs and the media to increase public awareness and demand for immunisation by communities and improve vaccination delivery services for all vaccines.
The Human Rights Crusader said strengthening immunisation services will help sustain the gains already made and close the gap in immunisation coverage and stressed the need to reach children of vulnerable populations who are not yet vaccinated.
Closing the gap on vaccination coverage and strengthening immunization systems, he pointed out can only be achieved when countries have the strong political will to achieve them.
Mr. Ahenu Jr said even though CSOs has contributed a lot to reduce the global burden of vaccine-preventable diseases, there is still work needed to be done in order to close the remaining gap.
Activities outlined to mark the week include holding a high-level policy discussion with leaders at the district and community local level, organize town hall events where citizens engage with policy-makers about their plan for immunization and Challenge elected officials to develop an action plan to promote immunization,
Other activities are quiz competition for school children on immunization as well as Sponsor radio discussion programmes and secure the commitment of religious groups to mobilize their communities for immunization.
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