World Immunization Week 2022

World Immunization Week is celebrated in the last week of April (24 to 30 April). Immunization refers to the process of both getting the vaccine and becoming immune to the disease following vaccination. Immunization is recognized as one of the world’s most successful and cost-effective health interventions. Immunization currently prevents 3.5-5 million deaths every year from diseases like diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, influenza and measles.

World Immunization Week calls attention to take the collective action so that every person is protected from vaccine-preventable diseases and to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against diseases.

This year’s World Immunization Week theme is – “A Long Life for All”. The 2022 theme aims to unify people to propagate the idea that vaccines make it possible to follow our dreams, protect our loved ones and live a long, healthy life. Vaccines provide opportunity and hope for all of us to enjoy a long and more fulfilling life.

We all know that for more than two centuries, vaccines have helped keep people healthy- from the very first vaccine developed in 1796 to protect against smallpox (eradicated the disease from the world in 1980) to the newest vaccines used to prevent severe cases of COVID-19.

Hence the new vision expands the global focus for immunization to all age groups, not just children. While this will shift immunization programmes, it will allow us to rethink and strengthen people-centered care to ensure vaccines are taken up by other age groups.

Immunization Programmes in India:

Universal Immunization Programme (UIP):

Government of India is providing vaccination free of cost against vaccine preventable diseases include diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, measles, severe form of childhood tuberculosis, hepatitis B, meningitis and pneumonia (Hemophilus influenza type B infections), Japanese encephalitis (JE) in JE endemic districts and newer vaccines such as rotavirus vaccine, IPV, adult JE vaccine, pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) and measles-rubella (MR) vaccine under UIP.

To strengthen and re-energize the UIP and achieve full immunization coverage for all children and pregnant women at a rapid pace, the Government of India launched “Mission Indradhanush” in December 2014 and further launched Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 2.0,3.0 and recently IMI 4.0 in February-March 2022.

The National COVID 19 vaccination started in the country on 16^th January 2021 with vaccination to all Health Care Workers and Front Line Workers. The programme was expanded with time to include vaccination of citizens more than 60 years of age, citizens more than 45 years of age, and citizens more than 18 years of age, 15-18 years of age group and eventually age group 12-14 years started from 16 March 2022.

#LongLifeforAll

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