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Media advisory

New Report on Vaccines and Immunization Calls for Urgent Action to Prevent Emergence of Old and New Diseases

WHAT: Background briefing on "State of the World's Vaccines and Immunization" report.

WHO: A panel of experts from UNICEF, WHO and PAHO will brief the media on salient aspects of the report and answer questions from journalists.

WHEN: Tuesday, November 19, 1:00 p.m.

WHERE: Danny Kaye Center at UNICEF House, 3 UN Plaza, 44th Street (between 1st & 2Nd Avenue),

BACKGROUND:

Jointly produced by WHO, UNICEF and the World Bank, The 2002 State of the World's Vaccine and Immunization report warns that inadequate long term investment in immunization is a major cause of current vaccine shortages, and could lead to the re-emergence of diseases that had been controlled.

The report provides a comprehensive review of global immunization coverage, highlighting gaps between rich and poor countries. It reveals why the potential of vaccines is not being fully realised and makes an urgent call for investment to develop new vaccines most needed to combat diseases in the world's poorest nations.

The report will be launched in Dakar, Senegal on 20 November 2002, at the 2nd Partners Meeting of the Global Alliance of Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) by Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of UNICEF and Chair of GAVI, and Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, Director-General of WHO.

Copies of the report, available in English and French, will be distributed at the media briefing or may be obtained from WHO or UNICEF.

Broadcasters can also obtain copies of a recently prepared B-roll on immunization from UNICEF

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For more information contact:

Mohammad Jalloh, UNICEF Media, New York, 212 326 7516, mjalloh@unicef.org

Daniela Bagozzi, Communication Officer, Health Technologies and Pharmaceuticals, (+41 22) 791 4544; mobile: (+41 22) 79 475 5490, bagozzid@who.int

Kate Donovan, UNICEF Media, 212 824-6722, kdonovan@unicef.org