Immunization
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© UNICEF/IDSA10/Purnomo |
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Protecting against measles in Indonesia |
The Issues
Immunization in our region has achieved some notable successes in recent years – Measles deaths have fallen dramatically while tetanus among newborns, a disease grossly under-reported, has been nearly eliminated in some countries. But many children still miss out on life-saving vaccines.
- Risk of complacency. As the number of deaths from vaccine-preventable diseases fall, some governments have shifted priority focus and investment in immunization programmes have not increased. Such stagnation could set back gains made against traditional childhood killers. With the reduction in vaccine-preventable diseases, families may no longer see the value in immunizing their children and may even become more afraid of the vaccine than the diseases. Polio re-emerged in Indonesia in 2005 – 10 years after the last case was seen in the country.
- Measles is still the major cause of vaccine-preventable deaths, despite periodic immunization campaigns. Most countries in our region are below 90 per cent immunization coverage, creating pockets of low immunity that require immunization campaigns. Recent measles outbreaks in the Pacific underscore the challenge.
- Poor use of data. Many countries lack efficient data-analysing systems that could pinpoint areas and populations where attention is needed.
- Poverty and other factors deny children immunization services. Other obstacles include poor health services, unmotivated staff, marginalization of vulnerable groups and weak infrastructure, including the cold chain.
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© UNICEF/EAP00090 |
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Protecting against polio in Cambodia |
UNICEF in Action
UNICEF continues to regard immunization as a major priority in our region. Among UNICEF’s immunization activities are:
- Integrating immunization with other health services, such as Vitamin A distribution;
- Developing, implementing and supporting robust, sustainable immunization programmes;
- Introducing new vaccines to prevent childhood killers such as meningitis, pneumonia and diarrhoea;
- Collecting more reliable data from more decentralized sources; and
- Assisting countries in drawing up funding plans to ensure uninterrupted vaccine supplies and immunization services.
Polio vaccines hit above target in Timor-Leste
UNICEF Timor-Leste/2005/4871/See
Although there has been no reported case of polio in Timor-Leste since 1995, the Government is not talking chances, especially considering that its closest neighbour, Indonesia, was hit with an outbreak in 2005 with some 240 cases. With only 57 per cent of its children younger than 2 immunized against polio and with less than half of the population using clean water and toilets, Timor-Leste would be a hotbed for the polio virus if it entered the country. With UNICEF support, more than 1,000 health workers and 1,600 volunteers at 800 immunization posts across the country dispensed the oral polio vaccines over two days of a national campaign in August and September 2005 targeting 180,000 children younger than 5. At the end of the two days, they had reached nearly 1,000 more than their target. They also took the opportunity to give Vitamin A drops to every child. Today, routine immunization continues at all health clinics in Timor-Leste, with UNICEF supporting the cold chain system and providing most of the vaccines to protect Timorese children against tuberculosis, diptheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio and measles.
