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04 Жовтень 2017

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.

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17 Липень 2018

In Focus: Immunization

Immunization is one of the world’s most cost-effective public health interventions, saving millions of lives each year, and protecting children from illness and disability. Vaccines have helped to halve the number of child deaths worldwide since 1990 and represent a sound financial investment: every $1 spent on childhood …

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27 Квітень 2018

Saving lives one dose at a time - Immunization across Europe and Central Asia

Vaccines protect children against disease and death, saving up to 3 million lives globally every year, and are one of the most cost-effective child survival interventions. In short, #VaccinesWork. The Europe and Central Asia Region continues to enjoy overall high childhood immunization coverage and is polio-free. The benefits of vaccines, however, are spread unevenly. Too many children are still missing the protection they deserve. A mother in Serbia holds her baby during her free vaccination as part of the Serbia's national immunization plan. A mother in Serbia holds her baby during her free vaccination as part of the Serbia's national immunization plan. Of particular concern is a rebounding of measles in the region, despite a record-low of new cases in 2016, causing over 33,000 cases and 79 deaths. The largest current outbreaks have been in Romania (12,368 cases and 49 deaths including 46 children), Ukraine (16,500 cases, 13 deaths including nine children) and Serbia. Although Serbia has a long and successful tradition in child-health protection, it is currently facing a measles outbreak with nearly 5,000 cases (as of 24 April 2018) which have resulted in 15 fatalities. UNICEF is working with the Ministry of Health to support its response and to improve records of immunization in the future. A little boy cries as he receives a routine vaccination at a clinic in Moldova. A little boy cries as he receives a routine vaccination at a clinic in Moldova. Due to universal vaccinations of newborns in Moldova, cases of Hepatis B have dropped from 682 in 1994 to only four in 2015. However, only 89 percent of all children are immunized against all preventable diseases and UNICEF has been working with the government to precure more vaccine doses to ensure all children have access to immunizations. A young boy puts on a brave face as he receives his second dose of the MMR vaccine in Kyiv, Ukraine. A young boy puts on a brave face as he receives his second dose of the MMR vaccine in Kyiv, Ukraine. Two-thirds of the world’s unvaccinated children live in fragile countries or countries affected by armed conflict. Between 2010 and 2016, conflict-affected eastern Ukraine had the world’s second lowest coverage rate of children fully immunized against diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus. The country also had the third lowest coverage rate in the world for MMR vaccine in 2016. A plane with a crate of UNICEF-labelled MMR vaccines next to it. On the 26 February, 220,000 doses of the MMR vaccine arrived in Ukraine facilitated by UNICEF. UNICEF in Ukraine is helping to fast-track the delivery of MMR vaccines, assisting the Ministry of Health to respond to the recent measles outbreak in which 14,500 people have been infected – killing 13 people including nine children. Nine-month-old Sasha gets a kiss from his mother, after receiving the diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus (DTP) vaccine in Kyiv. Nine-month-old Sasha gets a kiss from his mother, after receiving the diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus (DTP) vaccine in Kyiv. Vaccine hesitancy has also become an issue in Ukraine but UNICEF is working to change attitudes and educate people on the dangers of not vaccinating their children. “Before his birth, we decided we would give our child all the necessary vaccinations,” says Sasha's father. “When my grandmother was a child, she got polio and, although she recovered from the illness, she was disabled for life. As caring parents, we want to protect Sasha from all sorts of infections.” In Turkey, a boy receives a dose of the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV). In Turkey, a boy receives a dose of the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV). UNICEF Turkey is supporting a vaccination program, led by the Ministry of Health. The campaign has included nine rounds of polio campaigns reaching 1.4 million refugee and migrant children and Turkish children in remote provinces between 2013-2015, and the provision of additional doses of MMR, Hepatitis B, Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, Polio and Haemophilus in 2017. A health worker vaccinates a one-year-old Syrian refugee boy at a neighbourhood health centre in Gaziantep, Turkey. A health worker vaccinates a one-year-old Syrian refugee boy at a neighbourhood health centre in Gaziantep, Turkey. UNICEF has also helped produce and disseminate information materials, in both Turkish and Arabic, to raise awareness about the importance of being immunized. A young baby receives her vaccination injection in Uzbekistan. In Uzbekistan, four-month-old Ziyoda receives a dose of the new polio vaccine - 'Inactivated Polio Vaccine’ (IPV) - which is designed to help stop polio globally. Despite Uzbekistan having an almost 99 percent coverage rate of the Polio vaccine, UNICEF continues to work with the Government to ensure that no child is left unimmunized in the future. A group of women wait for their children to be vaccinated at a village clinic in Uzbekistan. A group of women wait for their children to be vaccinated at a village clinic in Uzbekistan. Ensuring vaccination levels are high in every country across the region is essential. UNICEF is working to ensure all children are protected against the spread of vaccine-preventable childhood diseases and the best defence is a vaccine-protected population and a strong and responsive health system. The whole region benefits when ALL countries achieve and maintain high vaccine coverage at both national and subnational levels.

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24 Жовтень 2016

Increasing immunization coverage is priority for Ukrainian Government – Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine

KYIV, 24 October 2016 – Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Pavlo Rozenko, representatives of the Ukrainian Government and the Presidential Administration have expressed their commitment to restore the routine immunization programme in Ukraine. Speaking at a high-level roundtable on immunization, organized by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and UNICEF on the occasion of World Polio Day, Vice Prime Minister Rozenko said: “Evidence-based medicine confirms the effectiveness of vaccines to prevent diseases such as polio, tetanus or whooping cough. Increasing the rates of immunization coverage is an important task and a priority of the government and a matter of national security.” Ukraine currently has the lowest routine immunization rates in the world. According to the Ministry of Health data, only 30 percent of children in Ukraine were fully immunized against measles, only 10 percent against hepatitis B, and only 3 percent against diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus, as of August 2016. Moreover, only 44 percent of children under 18 months of age were fully immunized against polio. Shortage of vaccine supplies has been one of the main reasons behind the critically low immunization rates in the past years. To address this, at the request of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, UNICEF has procured a number of high quality certified vaccines to protect children against dangerous vaccine-preventable diseases, namely tuberculosis (BCG), measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), hepatitis B, diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP), tetanus and diphtheria vaccine for adults (Td), paediatric diphtheria and tetanus (DT), rabies, and bivalent oral polio vaccine (bOPV). The vaccines are now available in health facilities across the country. “This time last year, Ukraine was dealing with a polio outbreak. The comprehensive outbreak response was successfully implemented with the help of international partners, but this success is still fragile”, said Marie-Pierre Poirier, UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia. “With such low routine immunization coverage, Ukraine is still at risk of outbreaks of long-forgotten diseases. Today, with millions of doses of vaccines available across the country, there is no reason to delay vaccination. Being vaccinated is fundamental to guarantee child’s right to health and now more than ever, it is important for Ukraine to put in place a strong and effective immunization programme,” she added. Speaking at the event, Professor David Salisbury, Chairman of the European Regional Certification Commission for Poliomyelitis Eradication said: “The polio cases in 2015 in Ukraine happened as a direct consequence of failings in the provision of vaccines for children. Efforts have been made to redress these problems but there is still more that needs to be done to give the children of Ukraine protection from vaccine preventable diseases. I am greatly encouraged by the commitments that have been made today and I look forward to being able to remove Ukraine from our list of polio high-risk countries.” Representatives of the Governments of Canada and the United States of America, who provided funding for the polio outbreak response last year, reaffirmed their support for restoring the routine immunization programme in Ukraine. “Canada worked hard last year with Ukraine’s Health Ministry to get nationwide polio vaccination restarted. We are grateful to the thousands of doctors who helped vaccinate millions of children. This year, we are happy to see that the UN has made more vaccines available. But still, far too many children are not routinely fully vaccinated. I urge Ukrainian parents to take advantage of these free vaccines and protect their children from completely unnecessary illnesses,” said H.E. Roman Waschuk, Ambassador of Canada to Ukraine, speaking at the Roundtable today. "Ukraine must continue to build on the great progress that has been made globally to eradicate polio," explained USAID Ukraine Director Susan Fritz. "These positive developments will only have the necessary impact if there is strong and visible political support from leadership at all levels of the Ukrainian Government." “Myths about vaccination that have been spread in recent years are not rooted in evidence-based medicine. As a result, Ukraine has been dealing with cases of diseases that have been long-forgotten in the rest of the world. It is important that the Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine, the Government and our international partners recognize the problem and are willing to work together with the Ministry of Health of Ukraine to resolve it. Increasing vaccination coverage rates in the country is our priority. This is not only a question of health and life of the citizens of Ukraine. This is a national security issue,” said Dr Ulana Suprun, Acting Minister of Health of Ukraine. “Necessary vaccines are available in all regions of the country. I appeal to all citizens who care about their life and health: get vaccinated and vaccinate your children,” added Dr Suprun. Nurse Ivana Knysh administers Maksym, 5, with a Hepatitis B vaccine as he holds his mother's hand, at Novoselytsi Family Medical Facility, Chernivtsi Oblast, Ukraine. UNICEF/UN060132/Oleksii Nurse Ivana Knysh administers Maksym, 5, with a Hepatitis B vaccine as he holds his mother's hand, at Novoselytsi Family Medical Facility, Chernivtsi Oblast, Ukraine.

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26 Лютий 2021

UNICEF handed over 223 refrigerated vehicles to the Government of Uzbekistan

25 February 2021, Tashkent: Today, UNICEF handed over 223 refrigerated vehicles to the Government of Uzbekistan. The vehicles support the Government’s efforts to strengthen the country’s immunization cold chain and will ensure vaccines are kept at optimal cold temperatures needed to retain their effectiveness when are delivered to regional and district health centres across the country. Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Behzod Musaevm, accompanied by the Minister of Health, Dr. Abdukhakim Khadjibaev, presided over the handover ceremony was, noted that the consignment of vehicles was timely. Earlier, the Government of Uzbekistan had announced the first shipment of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines, was due to arrive in coming days. UNICEF Representative, Mr. Munir Mammadzade said, “The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated UNICEF’s push for to make vaccines available to all within the framework of the Health System Strengthening Programme.” The vehicles are valued at more than USD 2 million and was supported by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI). Over the last 3 years UNICEF and partners have invested nearly USD 20 million to support the Ministry of Health to strengthen the country’s national immunization programme. UNICEF supported the construction of vaccine warehouses at national, regional and district levels, helped procure and install cold rooms, freezers and refrigerators, and vehicles to transport of vaccine. As well, UNICEF supported the Ministry of Health in the development of Uzbekistan’s vaccine logistic management information system. The current efforts are historically significant and will improve the national immunization system and in the context of COVID-19 vaccination roll-out, and well beyond. COVAX is co-led by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), working in partnership with UNICEF as well as the World Bank, civil society organisations, manufacturers, and others.

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26 Лютий 2020

Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore on the disruption of immunization and basic health services due to the COVID-19 pandemic

NEW YORK, 26 March 2020: “Around the world, the COVID-19 pandemic is overstretching health services as health workers are diverted to support the response. “Physical distancing is leading parents to make the difficult decision to defer routine immunization. “Medical goods are in short supply and supply chains are under historic strain due to transport disruptions. Flight cancellations and trade restrictions by countries have severely constrained access to essential medicines, including vaccines. “As the pandemic progresses, critical life-saving services, including immunization, will likely be disrupted, especially in Africa, Asia and the Middle East where they are sorely needed. “At the greatest risk are children from the poorest families in countries affected by conflicts and natural disasters. “We are particularly concerned about countries that are battling measles, cholera or polio outbreaks while responding to COVID-19 cases, such as Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, the Philippines, Syria and South Sudan. Not only would such outbreaks tax already stretched health services, they could also lead to additional loss of lives and suffering. At a time like this, these countries can ill-afford to face additional outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. “The message is clear: We must not allow lifesaving health interventions to fall victim to our efforts to address COVID-19. “UNICEF is committed to supporting basic health care and immunization needs in the worst affected countries, and to doing so in a way that limits the risk of COVID-19 transmission. We are working hard to ensure adequate vaccine supplies are available in countries that need them. We are in close communication with global vaccine suppliers to ensure production is not disrupted and supply is managed in the best possible manner under these difficult circumstances. We are also providing greater support to governments to continue the supply of vaccines during this pandemic. “In the days to come, governments may have to temporarily postpone preventive mass vaccination campaigns in many places to ensure that the delivery of immunization services does not contribute to COVID-19 spread, and to follow recommendations on physical distancing. “UNICEF strongly recommends that all governments begin rigorous planning now to intensify immunization activities once the COVID -19 pandemic is under control. These vaccination activities must focus on children who will miss vaccine doses during this period of interruption and prioritize the poorest and most vulnerable children. To successfully roll-out vaccines against COVID -19 when they become available, we need to ensure that our immunization programmes remain robust and can reach those that will need these vaccines the most. “Immunization remains a life-saving health intervention. As the world's biggest buyer and supplier of vaccines, UNICEF will continue to play a pivotal role in supporting governments’ current and future immunization efforts.” Nurse Milka Babic performs immunization UNICEF/UNI218376/Pancic

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01 Травень 2019

Vaccinations with a smile in Uzbekistan

Baby Imona is visiting the clinic, but there is no fear or tension, because Nurse Aziza Abduazimova knows how to put her and her parents at ease. Aziza’s open face and sweet, cheerful manner make all of the children she meets comfortable. “I always meet babies with a smile. Then I answer all of the parents’ questions about vaccinations so that they feel they can trust me with their child’s health. I make the child comfortable, and chat and play with them. I use toys to create a relationship before vaccinating them.” Aziza has been immunising children at Polyclinic #47 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan for six years now. She says that she loves her job. “I’m a mother myself. I have three sons aged 15, 12 and 10 years old who are all vaccinated and growing up healthy. I didn’t have a moment’s hesitation in getting my children vaccinated, and I am happy to help other mothers raise strong and healthy kids.” Aziza believes that it’s much better to vaccinate a child and prevent a disease than treat the sometimes-serious consequences of an illness. “Polio can cause permanent paralysis. Mumps, a common childhood disease, can make boys infertile, and measles can be fatal. It’s not just the consequences for the individual, either. A child who hasn’t been vaccinated is putting everyone else at risk, including babies and unvaccinated adults.” Nurse Aziza Abduazimova administers the polio vaccine to baby Imona. Nurse Aziza Abduazimova administers the polio vaccine to baby Imona. However, despite all the evidence about the safety of vaccines to prevent serious disease, some parents are still hesitant. “It’s a natural urge for a mother to protect her baby, and some mothers are scared to cause their baby the pain of an injection,” Aziza says. “Believe me, when I first started this job, I used to cry along with the babies, but then I realised that by causing this brief moment of pain, I’m preventing a lot of future suffering.” Some parents read things on the internet that scare them. Aziza says, “I follow a lot of discussions on the web and I often post evidence to prove that they needn’t worry. All the vaccines used in Uzbekistan meet international standards.” Aziza recalls a young mother who didn’t vaccinate her first son. “He got every childhood disease, one after the other, including Hepatitis A. With my encouragement she decided to vaccinate her younger son. He has grown up very healthy. Now when people see them together, they assume the younger one is older because he wasn’t sick as often, he’s so much taller and stronger than his brother. His mother tells everyone her story. She says, ‘If I’d had my older son vaccinated, I wouldn’t have gone through all these troubles.’” Aziza helps parents who have concerns about vaccinations to meet mothers and fathers with children who have been fully immunised. “Peer to peer conversations are really helpful because parents trust fellow parents and they can see the results.” She believes being a good vaccinator isn’t just about following procedures but having the right attitude: “There was one lady who came from outside our clinic’s catchment area. She was surprised to find me so cheerful and friendly. In her previous experiences staff had been professional, but she told me my friendliness has made such a difference to her children; now they feel at ease during and after vaccinations. It makes such a difference how you treat people." "Children pick up a lot from how you deal with them—they connect with a smile.” - adds Aziza. Nurse Aziza puts baby Imona at ease with a toy after administering a vaccine. With toys and smiles, baby Imona is at ease after receiving a vaccine. “My main message to parents would be to follow the vaccination calendar. Don’t wait or delay; it has been developed to protect against the most common diseases in this country and vaccinating on time gives your child the best protection.” Aziza gives baby Imona a last cuddle. She smiles, “Parents share the hope that their child will grow up healthy. In my work as a vaccinator, I can help make that happen.” UNICEF in Uzbekistan trains health professionals across the country to vaccinate children and works closely with the Government to ensure the vaccine system is safe and can reach all children with life-saving immunizations.

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26 Квітень 2021

Immunization services begin slow recovery from COVID-19 disruptions, though millions of children remain at risk from deadly diseases – WHO, UNICEF, Gavi

GENEVA/NEW YORK, 26 April 2021 --- While immunization services have started to recover from disruptions caused by COVID-19, millions of children remain vulnerable to deadly diseases, the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance warned today during World Immunization Week , highlighting the urgent need for a renewed global commitment to improve vaccination access and uptake. “Vaccines will help us end the COVID-19 pandemic but only if we ensure fair access for all countries, and build strong systems to deliver them,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO’s Director-General. “And if we’re to avoid multiple outbreaks of life-threatening diseases like measles, yellow fever and diphtheria, we must ensure routine vaccination services are protected in every country in the world.” A WHO survey has found that, despite progress when compared to the situation in 2020, more than one third of respondent countries (37%) still report experiencing disruptions to their routine immunization services. Mass immunization campaigns are also disrupted. According to new data, 60 of these lifesaving campaigns are currently postponed in 50 countries, putting around 228 million people - mostly children - at risk for diseases such as measles, yellow fever and polio. Over half of the 50 affected countries are in Africa, highlighting protracted inequities in people’s access to critical immunization services. Campaigns to immunize against measles, which is one of the most contagious diseases and can result in large outbreaks wherever people are unvaccinated, are the most impacted. Measles campaigns account for 23 of the postponed campaigns, affecting an estimated 140 million people. Many have now been delayed for over a year. “Even before the pandemic, there were worrying signs that we were beginning to lose ground in the fight against preventable child illness, with 20 million children already missing out on critical vaccinations,” said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director. “The pandemic has made a bad situation worse, causing millions more children to go unimmunized. Now that vaccines are at the forefront of everyone’s minds, we must sustain this energy to help every child catch up on their measles, polio and other vaccines. We have no time to waste. Lost ground means lost lives.” As a result of gaps in vaccination coverage, serious measles outbreaks have recently been reported in countries including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Pakistan and Yemen, while likely to occur elsewhere as growing numbers of children miss out on lifesaving vaccines, the agencies warn. These outbreaks are happening in places already grappling with conflict situations as well as service disruptions due to ongoing response measures to COVID-19. The supply of vaccines and other equipment is also essential for child vaccinations. Due to disruptions at the onset of the COVID -19 pandemic, UNICEF delivered 2.01 billion vaccine doses in 2020, compared to 2.29 billion in 2019. “Millions of children across the world are likely to miss out on basic vaccines as the current pandemic threatens to unravel two decades of progress in routine immunization”, said Dr Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. “To support the recovery from COVID-19 and to fight future pandemics, we will need to ensure routine immunization is prioritized as we also focus on reaching children who do not receive any routine vaccines, or zero-dose children. To do this, we need to work together – across development agencies, governments and civil society – to ensure that no child is left behind”.

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24 Квітень 2022

World Immunization Week: UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Liam Neeson headlines week-long commemoration of global vaccination efforts and calls for greater investment

NEW YORK, 24 April 2022 – UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Liam Neeson is leading UNICEF’s global immunization initiative with a global message thanking the scientists, parents, health workers and others who have been so critical in helping to immunize children over the last two decades. In a video released ahead of World Immunization Week , Neeson talks about how the efforts of scientists such as Jonas Salk, who developed the first vaccine against polio, and dedicated workers who fill vials at factories or deliver vaccine injections, have made it possible to save two to three million child lives each year. “Vaccines are a remarkable human success story. Over last the 75 years, billions of children have been vaccinated, thanks to scientists, to health workers, to volunteers. If you’ve ever been vaccinated, or vaccinated your children, then you are part of the arm-to-arm chain that keeps all humanity safe,” said Liam Neeson, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. “We live our lives free of worry about catching smallpox. Once a terrifying diagnosis, polio is no longer a threat in most of the world. The conversation about vaccines in recent years has lost sight of how much good they have done for each of us. We need to celebrate this. It is perhaps one of the biggest collective achievements in human history.” Every like, share, or comment on posts mentioning a UNICEF social media account and using the hashtag #longlifeforall from now until May 10 will unlock US $1 to UNICEF, from the United Nations Foundation’s Shot@Life campaign and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – up to a total of US$10 million – to help ensure all children get the life-saving vaccines they need. Despite the successes, an alarming 23 million children missed out on vaccinations in 2020. This number can only be reduced through greater commitment to and investment in immunization services. UNICEF is the world’s leading provider of vaccines to children in over 100 countries. With Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and partners UNICEF supplies vaccines to reach 45 per cent of the world’s children under five. UNICEF also works with Governments in over 130 countries to strengthen national health and immunization programmes. “The last two years have taught us that a health care system that leaves some children exposed, is a health care system that leaves all children exposed,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “The best way for the world to recover from this pandemic – and to prepare for future health emergencies -- is to invest in stronger health systems, and immunization and essential health services for every child.” World Immunization Week – celebrated every year in the last week of April – is spearheaded by the World Health Organization and brings together global partners to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against disease. The theme for this year is #LongLifeForAll, with ‘long life’ reflecting the importance of lifespan vaccinations. “We are in a race against time to restore the immunization services disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and accelerate progress against all vaccine-preventable diseases,” said Gargee Ghosh, President of Global Policy and Advocacy at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “That is why we are thrilled to work with UNICEF and other partners around the world to ensure children – especially those in the world’s poorest countries – have access to the vaccines they need to live a long, healthy life.” “UNICEF ensures that nearly half of the world’s children under five are ‘protected by love’ with lifesaving vaccines,” said Martha Rebour, Executive Director of Shot@Life, United Nations Foundation. “We are honored to support and promote their work during World Immunization Week and hope that others will join us in our advocacy for these critical global vaccine programs.” ##### Notes to editors The video and campaign will go live at 00.01 GMT 24 April. Online conversations with UNICEF Ambassadors will be shared on Facebook and Instagram and also available to download here under embargo and throughout World Immunization Week. Find out more about UNICEF’s work on immunization here . Vaccination UNICEF

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24 Квітень 2022

World Immunization Week: UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Liam Neeson headlines week-long commemoration of global vaccination efforts and calls for greater investment

NEW YORK, 24 April 2022 – UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Liam Neeson is leading UNICEF’s global immunization initiative with a global message thanking the scientists, parents, health workers and others who have been so critical in helping to immunize children over the last two decades. In a video released ahead of World Immunization Week , Neeson talks about how the efforts of scientists such as Jonas Salk, who developed the first vaccine against polio, and dedicated workers who fill vials at factories or deliver vaccine injections, have made it possible to save two to three million child lives each year. “Vaccines are a remarkable human success story. Over last the 75 years, billions of children have been vaccinated, thanks to scientists, to health workers, to volunteers. If you’ve ever been vaccinated, or vaccinated your children, then you are part of the arm-to-arm chain that keeps all humanity safe,” said Liam Neeson, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. “We live our lives free of worry about catching smallpox. Once a terrifying diagnosis, polio is no longer a threat in most of the world. The conversation about vaccines in recent years has lost sight of how much good they have done for each of us. We need to celebrate this. It is perhaps one of the biggest collective achievements in human history.” Every like, share, or comment on posts mentioning a UNICEF social media account and using the hashtag #longlifeforall from now until May 10 will unlock US $1 to UNICEF, from the United Nations Foundation’s Shot@Life campaign and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – up to a total of US$10 million – to help ensure all children get the life-saving vaccines they need. Despite the successes, an alarming 23 million children missed out on vaccinations in 2020. This number can only be reduced through greater commitment to and investment in immunization services. UNICEF is the world’s leading provider of vaccines to children in over 100 countries. With Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and partners UNICEF supplies vaccines to reach 45 per cent of the world’s children under five. UNICEF also works with Governments in over 130 countries to strengthen national health and immunization programmes. “The last two years have taught us that a health care system that leaves some children exposed, is a health care system that leaves all children exposed,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “The best way for the world to recover from this pandemic – and to prepare for future health emergencies -- is to invest in stronger health systems, and immunization and essential health services for every child.” World Immunization Week – celebrated every year in the last week of April – is spearheaded by the World Health Organization and brings together global partners to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against disease. The theme for this year is #LongLifeForAll, with ‘long life’ reflecting the importance of lifespan vaccinations. “We are in a race against time to restore the immunization services disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and accelerate progress against all vaccine-preventable diseases,” said Gargee Ghosh, President of Global Policy and Advocacy at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “That is why we are thrilled to work with UNICEF and other partners around the world to ensure children – especially those in the world’s poorest countries – have access to the vaccines they need to live a long, healthy life.” “UNICEF ensures that nearly half of the world’s children under five are ‘protected by love’ with lifesaving vaccines,” said Martha Rebour, Executive Director of Shot@Life, United Nations Foundation. “We are honored to support and promote their work during World Immunization Week and hope that others will join us in our advocacy for these critical global vaccine programs.” ##### Notes to editors The video and campaign will go live at 00.01 GMT 24 August. Online conversations with UNICEF Ambassadors will be shared on Facebook and Instagram and also available to download here under embargo and throughout World Immunization Week. Find out more about UNICEF’s work on immunization here . Vaccines work UNICEF Seven-year-old Anisija stands still while the nurse is administering her a vaccine in polyclinic "Jane Sandandski" Skopje, North Macedonia.

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25 Квітень 2017

UNICEF reaches almost half of the world’s children with life-saving vaccines

NEW YORK, 26 April 2017 – UNICEF procured 2.5 billion doses of vaccines to children in nearly 100 countries in 2016, reaching almost half of the world’s children under the age of five. The figures, released during World Immunization Week, make UNICEF the largest buyer of vaccines for children in the world. Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan, the three remaining polio-endemic countries, each received more doses of vaccines than any other country, with almost 450 million doses of vaccines procured to children in Nigeria, 395 million in Pakistan and over 150 million in Afghanistan. UNICEF is the lead procurement agency for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Access to immunization has led to a dramatic decrease in deaths of children under five from vaccine-preventable diseases, and has brought the world closer to eradicating polio. Between 2000 and 2015, under five deaths due to measles declined by 85 per cent and those due to neonatal tetanus by 83 per cent. A proportion of the 47 per cent reduction in pneumonia deaths and 57 per cent reduction in diarrhea deaths in this time is also attributed to vaccines. Yet an estimated 19.4 million children around the world still miss out on full vaccinations every year. Around two thirds of all unvaccinated children live in conflict-affected countries. Weak health systems, poverty and social inequities also mean that 1 in 5 children under five is still not reached with life-saving vaccines. “All children, no matter where they live or what their circumstances are, have the right to survive and thrive, safe from deadly diseases,” said Dr. Robin Nandy, Chief of Immunization at UNICEF. “Since 1990, immunization has been a major reason for the substantial drop in child mortality, but despite this progress, 1.5 million children still die from vaccine preventable diseases every year.” Inequalities persist between rich and poor children. In countries where 80 per cent of the world’s under-five child deaths occur, over half of the poorest children are not fully vaccinated. Globally, the poorest children are nearly twice as likely to die before the age of five as the richest. “In addition to children living in rural communities where access to services is limited, more and more children living in overcrowded cities and slum dwellings are also missing out on vital vaccinations,” said Nandy. “Overcrowding, poverty, poor hygiene and sanitation as well as inadequate nutrition and health care increase the risk of diseases such as pneumonia, diarrhea and measles in these communities; diseases that are easily preventable with vaccines.” By 2030, an estimated 1 in 4 people will live in urban poor communities, mainly in Africa and Asia, meaning the focus and investment of immunization services must be tailored to the specific needs of these communities and children, UNICEF said. NOTES TO EDITORS: UNICEF works with World Health Organization (WHO), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and others to ensure that vaccines protect all children – especially those who are the hardest to reach and the most vulnerable. World Immunization Week runs from 24 – 28 April 2017. For more information visit: www.unicef.org/immunization Immunisation session at Family Medicine Center #1 of Osh city, Kyrgyzstan UNICEF/UN041255/Pirozzi

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24 Квітень 2022

Vaccines – a vital support for long life and the good of all

Geneva and Copenhagen, 24 April 2022 Everyone deserves an equal opportunity to live a long and healthy life irrespective of their age, gender, place of birth or residence. Vaccination not only prevents and interrupts the spread of disease, but it also creates a cascade of benefits for the individual and for society. The last two years have demonstrated a simple but incontestable truth – if we leave anyone behind, in the end, we leave everyone behind. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that all children everywhere have access to all vaccinations in their national routine immunization schedules and that any doses missed can be provided as quickly as possible. In the past two years since COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic, we have all been witness to the devastating impact of this disease on our world, our families, and particularly our children. It has been a trying time for everyone as new variants and new waves of this virus have required near constant adaptation to changing conditions and have brought daily life and economies to a grinding halt. Thanks to unprecedented global collaboration, COVID-19 vaccines on various platforms were developed in record time and we have seen an unprecedented undertaking by the Ministries of Health to roll out the approved COVID-19 vaccines worldwide, thereby saving untold lives. COVID-19 vaccination has significantly reduced the number of severely ill and hospitalized individuals, decreasing the burden on health care systems so that hospitals and clinics have the capacity to treat those seeking care for other ailments. A study published in November 2021 estimated that 470 000 lives were saved just among those aged 60 years and older in 33 of the 53 countries in the WHO European Region from December 2020 to November 2021. To date, more than 1.5 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in the WHO European Region. This is a great achievement, but there is still a long way to go. Millions of people, including many of those who are most at risk of severe disease, remain unprotected as the virus continues to spread across the Region. At the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic impacted routine immunization, resulting in backsliding of immunization coverage in several countries in the Region and leaving thousands of children at risk of contracting vaccine-preventable diseases. During this period, the European Region has also demonstrated its resilience to respond to the outbreaks of vaccine-derived poliovirus, in Tajikistan and Ukraine and now in Israel. Effective outbreak response measures in Tajikistan, including stepped-up polio surveillance and 3 rounds of supplementation immunization of all children under 6 years of age, have most likely interrupted transmission of the virus in the country. However, we are concerned that the virus is still present in Ukraine. A nationwide vaccination campaign to protect 140,000 unvaccinated children throughout the country was disrupted just weeks after its launch on 1 February this year. The humanitarian crisis still unfolding in Ukraine has taken a tragic toll on health and well-being. Health services, already strained by COVID-19, have been stretched beyond capacity. Among the many serious and long-term impacts has been the disruption of immunization in the country. Any day that passes without resumption of services where they have been disrupted, or catch-up opportunities for displaced children, increases the risk of polio circulation, outbreaks of other childhood diseases, and further spread of COVID-19. The occurrence of these outbreaks is a stark reminder of the fragility that lies in our communities when we have un- and under-vaccinated populations. By preventing disease, vaccination prevents suffering and the economic burden of medical treatment, acts as our first defense against antibiotic resistance, and prevents the life-long debilitating effects that impact social and economic opportunity. The collective effect of widespread vaccination cannot be underestimated in its contribution to economic stability, social equity, and overall quality of life. As we pause today and take stock of the historic achievements of vaccination – including the eradication of smallpox, near eradication of polio, greatly reduced burden of measles, rubella, and many more once-common diseases – it is also clear that we cannot let our progress slip away. If we do so, many of our other goals: to ensure health and wellbeing, to end poverty, to empower women, to improve human rights, become harder to reach. The full benefits of vaccines can only be achieved if no one is left behind and if the European Immunization Agenda 2030, a vision and strategy created and adopted by all Member States for the next decade, is fully implemented. It is up to all of us to make the benefits of vaccines work for the good of all. Polio vaccines UNICEF

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