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12 results
  • Article (31)
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Programme
04 October 2017
Immunization
https://www.unicef.org/eca/health/immunization
Immunization is a proven and cost-effective public health  intervention, saving the lives of millions of children and protecting millions more from illness and disability.  Immunization is also a wise financial investment - with every $1 invested in immunization returning an estimated $16 in health-care savings and increased economic productivity.  Most countries in Europe and Central Asia have immunization coverage of 95 percent or more for three doses of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP), often seen as the measure of national performance on immunization. However, while most national averages for DTP vaccination may be adequate, the regional average is hovering at around 92 percent, a slight decrease from the previous year, which is not high enough to ensure immunity for everyone. Over 70 percent of the region’s unvaccinated infants are from middle income countries, with Ukraine presenting the lowest coverage rate and the greatest challenge. National averages also mask disparities, with Roma children  and those from other ethnic and vulnerable groups, including refugee and migrant children, all lagging behind. Measles outbreaks are a growing problem. Last year there were over 10,000 cases of measles in the region. Despite increased coverage of the first dose of the measles vaccine among children (up from 63 percent in 2000 to 93 percent in 2016) more work is urgently needed, as children are not fully protected against measles unless they receive two doses. Currently, second dose coverage is at 88 percent, which does not provide adequate protection.            In total, over 500,000 children in the region are still not protected against measles - a life-threatening, but easily preventable disease.   There are also concerns about ‘vaccine hesitancy’ – a growing mistrust of immunization among some parents, fuelled by myths and misinformation. Such hesitancy may stem from negative media stories linking a child’s death to immunization without the full facts. It may be influenced by the region’s anti-vaccine movements, which spread anti-immunization messages. Meanwhile, measures to counter vaccine hesitancy and build parental trust in immunization are hampered by a lack of discussion with parents about its importance and the minimal risks.  A baby girl receives her vaccination at a clinic in Serbia. A baby girl receives her vaccination at a clinic in Serbia. Donor support for immunization is falling in some countries that still require such support. Elsewhere, the concern is to ensure financial sustainability for immunization programmes once countries ‘graduate’ from the support provided by Gavi (The Vaccine Alliance). Ongoing reforms in some countries are affecting both the structure and financing of immunization programmes. Some countries, challenged by competing priorities at home and inaccessibly priced vaccines on the global market, experienced several vaccine shortages in 2015–2016, sometimes causing critical disruptions of services. These issues are particularly acute in middle-income countries, many of which self-procure vaccines and continue to face significant challenges in achieving financial sustainability of their immunization programmes. Some countries also lack adequate monitoring of vaccine coverage, which is critical to understand and address any gaps.   As a result of such challenges, the region faces outbreaks of vaccine-preventable disease, such as a polio outbreak in 2015 and an ongoing measles outbreak in Ukraine  – a country where conflict and economic recession have depleted stocks of vaccines and vaccine hesitancy is reducing immunization coverage. There is also an ongoing large measles outbreak in Romania, with over 10,000 cases of the diseases and 38 deaths. During the last five years, measles outbreaks have been registered in Georgia (2013), Kazakhstan (2014), Kyrgyzstan (2015), and Tajikistan (2017). Outbreaks in one country can spread rapidly to others, signalling the interdependence and vulnerability of all countries, whatever their stage of economic development.  
Page
13 April 2023
A quick look: the state of routine immunization in Europe and Central Asia
https://www.unicef.org/eca/quick-look-state-routine-immunization-europe-and-central-asia
Immunization allows children everywhere to live lives free of many forms of disability and illness. UNICEF's  The State of the World’s Children 2023 highlights the current situation of immunization for children globally. UNICEF's regional brief for Europe and Central Asia demonstrate that public demand, scientific innovations and – perhaps above all – political will can drive rapid change.  Now is a time for determination. Now is a time for political will. Now is the time to protect the health of  every  child. Girl receiving a HPV vaccine. 67 million children Between 2019 and 2021, 67 million children across the world missed out on routine vaccinations. 2-month-old gets vaccinated by Nurse as part of his routine childhood immunization session. 327,400 children 327,400 are “zero-dose” and “under-vaccinated” children. That means they have not received any vaccinations or the third required dose of the diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus (DPT3) vaccine. Nurse in office 29 countries 29 countries in the region found a decrease in the perception of the importance of vaccines for children. 3-month-old gets vaccinated in Tajikistan One million Nearly one million of children who missed one or several routine vaccinations live in Europe and Central Asia.
Page
24 April 2019
World Immunization Week 2019
https://www.unicef.org/eca/health/immunization/world-immunization-week-2019
Vaccines act as a shield, protecting children and newborn babies from dangerous diseases and saving up to 3 million lives each year. Yet, there are still nearly 20 million unvaccinated and under-vaccinated children in the world today. These children are at risk of serious illness, complications, and even death. Many parents want to vaccinate their children, but can’t because they don’t have access to healthcare. But increasingly, some parents are choosing not to. This reluctance often stems from misconceptions about vaccines, or complacency about the likelihood of getting infected. That’s why staying informed about the benefits of vaccines – and the risks of not getting vaccinated – is more important than ever. This World Immunization Week, UNICEF is launching a global campaign to emphasize the power and safety of vaccines among parents and social media users. From 24-30 April, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will contribute US$1 to UNICEF for every like or share of social media posts using the hashtag #VaccinesWork, up to US$1 million, to ensure all children get the life-saving vaccines they need. Help protect children from deadly diseases by telling parents around the world,  #VaccinesWork !  
Page
24 April 2019
Vaccine FAQs
https://www.unicef.org/eca/health/vaccine-faqs
Vaccines save lives. Measles vaccines alone are estimated to have prevented over 21 million deaths between 2000 and 2017. Vaccines will help protect your child against diseases that can cause serious harm or death, especially in people with developing immune systems like infants. It’s important to vaccinate your child. If not, highly contagious diseases such as measles, diphtheria and polio, which were once wiped out in many countries, will come back.
Page
28 September 2021
The new Bebbo parenting app
https://www.unicef.org/eca/Bebbo-parenting-app
Our new free Bebbo application for parents is the only tool parents need to give their children ‘A good start for a lifetime’. Supporting them and guiding them all the way through their child’s development years, from 0 to 6 years old. The Bebbo app helps you with answers to all your questions about parenting, all from the palm of your hand., Download the free Bebbo app now!, Google play Appstore, Parenting is hard, all parents can use some support, Each and every child needs nurturing, nutrition, loving care, good health, and a stimulating & safe environment that offers plenty of support for early learning. All parents need support and have millions of questions on how to assist their children to grow healthy and smart. This is where Bebbo comes into play! The free app developed by…, How does Bebbo help you with your child’s development?, The Bebbo App has a huge range of helpful features empowering parents to make the right decisions when it comes to the care and development of their child. Encouraging parents to engage daily with suggested articles and games that will help their little ones hit those key development milestones while growing healthy and happy.  , Features include:  , Bebbo Illustration - Reading Suggested Daily Reads Every day the app will suggest a daily game and an article from a rich library of parenting advice written by experts, covering a large range of topics available in the app, such as baby weaning and early learning. All advice can be quickly saved as favorites and shared with other parents or…, Discover parenting app created by experts for parents of young children., Download FREE App now!, Google play Appstore Bebbo was developed with support from: The Austrian Development Agency and the European Union. ADA logo EU logo This page is available also in  Russian . 
Programme
04 October 2017
Health
https://www.unicef.org/eca/health
Europe and Central Asia has surpassed global progress on child mortality, more than halving the deaths of children under five and infants since 1990. And as progress for the poorest households has accelerated, the health gap between the richest and poorest has narrowed.  However, persistent inequities reflect a continued failure to invest effectively in child-centred health systems for all. In South-East Europe, for example, child mortality among the Roma population is two to three times higher than national averages.    Problems missed at an early age can be more difficult and expensive to address later in life. Such inequities are compounded by a failure to spot problems during pregnancy and during the first 1,000 days of life, when children’s bodies and brains build the foundations for their life-long development. Problems missed at an early age can be far more difficult and expensive to address later in life.  Across the region, more than half of the children who die before their fifth birthday die in their first month of life.These deaths are often the result of conditions that are readily preventable or treatable at low cost through, for example, access to good obstetric, ante-natal and post-natal care, routine immunization and exclusive breastfeeding . The main killers of children under the age of five in the region are also preventable: pneumonia and injuries.  Emergencies have an intense impact on child health and nutrition. The impact of emergencies on children's health and nutrition can be extreme. Children on the move, such as those caught in Europe’s refugee and migrant crisis , for example, often lack adequate clothing, food, shelter or warmth. Access to health services, including immunization, has often been inadequate on their journey. The region’s existing HIV prevalence, coupled with lack of safe water and sanitation, as well as ongoing challenges related to early child development and protection all heighten the vulnerability of children during emergencies.  The region is also experiencing vaccine ‘hesitancy’ – the reluctance of some parents to immunize their children, or parental delays in immunization . This hesitancy, often fuelled by misinformation, puts children at risk of contracting, and even dying from, infectious diseases, including polio and measles.
Page
10 February 2023
UNICEF Emergency Response in Hungary
https://www.unicef.org/eca/unicef-emergency-response-office-hungary
Background Access to primary healthcare remains a challenge for refugees in Hungary due to language barriers and limited capacity of national health systems to absorb increasing numbers of patients. It is therefore important to remove bottlenecks that hinder access for Ukrainian refugees to critical health services, immunization, advice on adequate nutrition and feeding practices for babies and children, as well as mental health and psychosocial support.   UNICEF’s response In December 2022, UNICEF partnered with the Municipality and the University of Debrecen, and the NGO Dorcas Ministries to increase access to health services and promote adequate nutrition and good feeding practices for both refugee and host community families. More than 6,800 children, parents and caregivers are expected to be reached with these services by the end of 2023. Through the collaboration with the University of Debrecen, UNICEF is procuring medical containers in refugee camps. These are staffed with health professionals, including Ukrainian health workers to provide services such as immunization, early childhood development, specialized mental health support, health promotion and health education.
Programme
29 January 2021
Improving health literacy among refugee and migrant children
https://www.unicef.org/eca/stories-region/improving-health-literacy-among-refugee-and-migrant-children
UNICEF has worked with partners and with young refugees and migrants on the ground to identify information gaps – work that has, in turn, guided the development of health literacy packages across all five countries on a range of crucial health issues, from immunization and nutrition to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and gender-based violence (GBV). The assessment has shaped the development of detailed plans on how to ensure that health messages reach their audience and have an impact. The health literacy packages have also drawn on existing materials, including Facts for Life , My Safety and Resilience Girls Pocket Guide and an adapted version of the UNFPA curriculum: ‘Boys on the Move’. Refugees and migrants face a chronic lack of health information in their own languages, and a lack of information that reaches them through the channels or people they trust health navigation Some common priorities have been identified by refugees and migrants across all five countries, including access to immunization and other primary health care services, breastfeeding and young child feeding, and the prevention of GBV. They have also flagged up the pressing need for more mental health and psychological services. Other issues have emerged as priorities in specific countries, including cyberbullying and online safety in Italy, and substance abuse among young people In Serbia – the focus of a new in-depth UNICEF study. Not surprisingly, the COVID-19 pandemic is a new and urgent priority for refugee and migrant communities – and one that has heightened the health risks they already face by curtailing their movements and their access to health services. A consultation with refugee and migrant adolescents and young people living in Italy has revealed major gaps in their knowledge about sexual and reproductive health, drawing on an online survey, a U-Report poll and a series of focus group discussions. It has highlighted some common misunderstandings, such as the myth that masturbation causes infertility, and continued perceptions around the importance of a woman’s virginity at marriage, as well as knowledge gaps around menstruation, pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. The consultation also found, however, that the young participants want to know far more about this crucial area of health. As one young man from Guinea noted during a focus group discussion: “often young people do not want to know if they have an infection, also because they are not aware that these can be treated. It is so critical to raise awareness on STIs tests and treatment options.”  
Page
04 October 2022
UNICEF Refugee Response Office in Poland
https://www.unicef.org/eca/poland
It’s vital those who’ve fled this brutal war have access to health care. Around 90% of the over 1.5 million Ukrainian refugees registered by the Polish government are women and children. This is a mother-and-child displacement crisis that has put much extra pressure on Poland’s public healthcare system. Low immunization rates in Ukraine mean that refugees are also at risk of vaccine-preventable diseases.   UNICEF’s health response in Poland is focused on preventing diseases through vaccines, building healthcare capacity and capability and looking after the specific needs of mothers, children and newborns.   “I believe that vaccination is important for children, for the entire population of the country. I think even during the war, we shouldn’t stop, because dangerous diseases are still nearby.”  Kateryna, a mother of two from the Kiyv region of Ukraine, now living in Poland. UNICEF/UN0705564/Strek UNICEF/UN0705564/Strek The solution  In partnership with the Ministry of Health and municipalities, we’re reached more than 500,000 refugees with information on essential child vaccinations via national and local campaigns. Our cooperation with the Ministry of Health also ensured the availability of critical supplies for routine childhood vaccinations.   In close cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO) in Poland and national partners, we provide refugee families with information on access to health services. We have ensured health screening of refugee children and caregivers identified as vulnerable and have worked with municipalities to provide essential health supplies and access to healthcare.   In partnership with the Ministry of Health, we have developed a programme to support the primary health care of up to 200,000 women and children from Ukraine. To achieve this UNICEF has made a commitment to cover 50% of the cost of health care services provided to Ukrainian refugee women and children made by the National Health Funds to health care providers across the country in the period of February 2023 to August 2023. This is a significant investment in the health and wellbeing of the refugee population.  “My toys are back in Ukraine. My bed is there as well. I also miss my friend Danya, we used to play a lot.” Mykyta, 6 after receiving his vaccinations at a medical centre in Krakow In the area of infant and young child feeding, we’re working closely with the Ministry of Health and a local NGO, to encourage mothers to exclusively breastfeed and to provide information and support to ensure refugees are able to feed and care for their babies and young children as they adapt to life in a new country. We have established lactation groups in 10 maternity hospitals across the country to provide peer and expert support. When breastfeeding is not an option, our partnership with the Ministry of Health and a local NGO ensures control of the distribution of formula to refugees and alternative options, such as milk banks, to make sure it is accessible, affordable and safe for babies.  In addition to the promotion of infant and young child feeding, we’ve provided warm meals and complementary food to children in youth camps, preschools and primary schools, as well as accommodation centres. 
Page
02 July 2020
‘RM Child-Health’: safeguarding the health of refugee and migrant children in Europe
https://www.unicef.org/eca/rm-child-health-safeguarding-health-refugee-and-migrant-children-europe
More than 1.3 million children have made their way to Europe since 2014, fleeing conflict, persecution and poverty in their own countries. They include at least 225,000 children travelling alone – most of them teenage boys – as well as 500,000 children under the age of five. In 2019 alone, almost 32,000 children (8,000 of them unaccompanied or separated) reached Europe via the Mediterranean after perilous journeys from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and many parts of Africa – journeys that have threatened their lives and their health. Many have come from countries with broken health systems, travelling for months (even years) with no access to health care and facing the constant risks of violence and exploitation along the way. Many girls and boys arriving in Europe have missed out on life-saving immunization and have experienced serious distress or even mental health problems. They may be carrying the physical and emotional scars of violence, including sexual abuse. The health of infants and mothers who are pregnant or breastfeeding has been put at risk by a lack of pre- and post-natal health services and of support for child nutrition. Two girls wash a pot in the common washing area of the Reception and Identification Centre in Moria, on the island of Lesvos, in Greece. Two girls wash a pot in the common washing area of the Reception and Identification Centre in Moria, on the island of Lesvos, in Greece. Child refugees and migrants also face an increased health risk as a result of crowded and unhygienic living conditions during their journeys and at their destinations. Even upon their arrival in Europe, refugee and migrant children and families often face continued barriers to their health care, such as cultural issues, bureaucracy, and a lack of information in their own language. Southern and South East European countries are at the heart of this challenge, struggling to meet the immediate needs of vulnerable refugee and migrant children. And now, an already serious problem is being exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Refugee checks on his son
Page
17 January 2023
UNICEF Emergency Response Office in Slovakia
https://www.unicef.org/eca/unicef-emergency-response-office-slovakia
Context Although Slovakia grants “urgent and necessary health services” for Ukrainian citizens registered for Temporary Protection, many Ukrainians face challenges in accessing support. What is “urgent and necessary," however, is often left to the judgment of individual doctors, creating a situation in which quality of health care received by refugees can vary significantly. Ukrainian children tend to have significantly lower vaccination rates compared to Slovaks and front-line health workers are not trained to deal with vaccine hesitancy. The key challenge in the mid-long term is the management of chronic diseases, control and management of infectious and communicable disease, and provision of specialized mental health services and psychological support. In addition, there is a shortage of doctors, particularly pediatricians and nurses, with some regions being underserved even before the crisis. Under the existing legislation, Ukrainian health workers can provide services only under the direct supervision of a senior Slovak health worker, due to the shorter academic curriculum and mandated training required for doctors in Ukraine. UNI396419 UNI396419 UNI396419 UNI396419     UNICEF’s Response Support to recognition of qualifications of Ukrainian health workers is one of four areas of cooperation between UNICEF and the Ministry of Health, in addition to immunization and early childhood development, specialized mental health support, as well as health promotion and health education, including through parenting programmes. In collaboration with the Regional Health Authority in Bratislava, UNICEF supports the provision of primary healthcare services in the Bratislava region, hosting over 30,000 refugees, including more than 12,000 children. Services are provided by two general practitioners, two pediatricians, one gynecologist, and one psychiatrist under the supervision of a senior Slovak doctor. Pediatricians and breastfeeding counselors are integrated into the Blue Dots in Bratislava, Košice and Michalovce. UNI396390 UNI396390 UNI396390 UNI396390   Since 15 July 2022, primary healthcare services have been provided to over 43,000 children and women through UNICEF-supported mechanisms, including consultations for mental health, referrals to higher levels of care, and vaccination of children against measles, polio, and so on.
Programme
18 October 2017
Refugee and migrant children in Europe
https://www.unicef.org/eca/emergencies/refugee-and-migrant-children-europe
People have always migrated to flee from trouble or to find better opportunities. Today, more people are on the move than ever, trying to escape from climate change, poverty and conflict, and aided as never before by digital technologies. Children make up one-third of the world’s population, but almost half of the world’s refugees: nearly 50 million children have migrated or been displaced across borders.   We work to prevent the causes that uproot children from their homes While working to safeguard refugee and migrant children in Europe, UNICEF is also working on the ground in their countries of origin to ease the impact of the poverty, lack of education, conflict and insecurity that fuel global refugee and migrant movements. In every country, from Morocco to Afghanistan, and from Nigeria to Iraq, we strive to ensure all children are safe, healthy, educated and protected.  This work accelerates and expands when countries descend into crisis. In Syria, for example, UNICEF has been working to ease the impact of the country’s conflict on children since it began in 2011. We are committed to delivering essential services for Syrian families and to prevent Syria's children from becoming a ‘ lost generation ’. We support life-saving areas of health , nutrition , immunization , water and sanitation, as well as education and child protection . We also work in neighbouring countries to support Syrian refugee families and the host communities in which they have settled.   

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