The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says that vaccines used in immunization efforts have saved six lives every minute over the last five decades and should be sustained.
UNICEF’s Chief of Enugu Field Office, Mrs Juliet Chiluwe, said this at a virtual media dialogue with journalists in Owerri, on Saturday, to mark the year 2025 World Immunization Week.
Speaking on the year’s theme: “Immunization For All Is Humanly Possible”, Chiluwe described vaccines as “one of humanity’s greatest achievements”.
She called for increased advocacy, communication, social mobilisation and cold chain support to achieve routine immunisation that “would really reach everyone”. She also called for infrastructure strengthening such as the establishment of oxygen gas plants to strengthen health systems in states with the greater need.
“ This year’s theme reaffirms the feasibility and necessity of protecting everyone, from newborns to the elderly, against vaccine-preventable diseases, through inclusive and equitable immunization services.
“ Vaccines remain and over the last 50 years, essential vaccines have saved at least 154 million lives, that is, six lives a minute, every day, for five decades.
“ UNICEF therefore joins efforts with health care providers and governments to promote the values of immunization services as should, which entails getting to the last mile”, she said.
She commended the contributions form state governments that compliment UNICEF’s efforts and urged them not to relent in their partnership but to build momentum on progress made so far by continuing to provide budgetary allocations to ensure that every eligible child gets life saving vaccines to survive and reach their full potential.
Speaking, the Director-General of the Broadcasting Corporation of Abia state, UNICEF’s implementing partner, Mr Francis Nwaubani, said that it was necessary to ensure that the successes of the past five decades were replicated going forward, so as to achieve the “ humanly possible” campaign.
“ We must endeavour to reach more children with essential immunisations while developing new and newer vaccines to cover a broader range of diseases and ages”, he said.
C-Advocate reports that lectures at the dialogue focused on sustainable vaccine development and immunisation strategies especially for children.