WHO and UNICEFcompleted a joint awareness campaign on childhood vaccinations during European Immunization Week

Baku, 29 April 2023 - UNICEF, together with the World Health Organization (WHO), launched a series of events during the European Immunization Week that took place in Azerbaijan on 24-29 April 2023.

Following the WHO recommendation, the Ministry of Health has issued an order for the celebration of "Immunization Week" in all regions of Azerbaijan on April 6, 2023. In accordance with this order, monitoring sessions were conducted with the technical support of the WHO in 11 regions with particularly low vaccination levels. Furthermore, the WHO and UNICEF organized parent conferences with the organizational support of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Management Union of Medical Territorial Units (TABIB), and the State Agency on Mandatory Health Insurance in four of these regions, including Qobustan, Yevlakh, Goygol, Mingachevir, with a clear message to all  - “Do not delay vaccination! Every dose counts”.  At these parent conferences, a pediatrician expert from the Ministry of Health provided detailed information about vaccinations and answered parents' questions. Additionally, pediatricians and vaccinators working in these regions received training on the latest vaccination practices.

Throughout the campaign, educational materials, including a question-and-answer brochure on vaccine myths and an updated booklet on vaccine-preventable diseases, were provided to local people. Due to the increased number of measles and rubella cases in the WHO European region, posters containing information about these infections were distributed in the hospitals and stationary vaccination points. 

During the vaccination campaign, certain activities were designed to encourage parents to vaccinate their children with proper vaccines.