Immunization
Immunization is one of the world’s most cost-effective public health interventions, saving millions of lives and protecting countless children from illness and disability.
The challenge
Since 1995, Kyrgyzstan has been consistently registering immunization coverage of 90 per cent or more for three doses of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP), often seen as the measure of national performance on immunization.
However, the latest surveys show that there is a steady decline in the vaccination rate.
As of 2023, only around 82 per cent of children were fully immunized by their second birthdays according to the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS 2023). This is not high enough to ensure immunity for everyone.
Despite increased vaccine coverage against measles, there was a large outbreak of measles in 2023 and 2024. Kyrgyz authorities registered more than 20,000 cases of measles and 9 deaths in two years. This means that far too many children are still not protected against the preventable, life-threatening disease.
This outbreak reminds us of the need for constant vigilance and for greater efforts to achieve – and sustain – universal routine immunization to protect children against deadly, but easily preventable, diseases.
There are also concerns about ‘vaccine hesitancy’ – a growing mistrust of immunization among some parents, fuelled by myths and misinformation. This hesitancy may stem from negative media stories linking a child’s death to immunization without the full facts. It may be influenced by the country’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.
Maintaining high immunity in the child population is crucial because outbreaks in Kyrgyzstan can spread rapidly to other countries and vice versa, given the interdependence and vulnerability of all countries.
The solution
UNICEF knows that the best defence against the spread of vaccine-preventable childhood diseases is a vaccine-protected population and a strong and responsive health system.
The Government of the Kyrgyz Republic prioritizes the national immunization programme and invests in health systems strengthening to reach the most vulnerable children with life-saving immunizations.
Working with the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the World Health Organization, and non-governmental organizations, UNICEF Kyrgyzstan supports all the components of immunization, including service provision and demand generation. UNICEF also supports the provision of quality-assured vaccine supplies and specialized cold chain equipment. We also mobilize the funding and technical assistance needed to strengthen the management of national immunization programmes and reach those who are not immunized.
UNICEF constantly supports the Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic to procure WHO pre-qualified vaccines for children.
UNICEF supports national and local information campaigns to educate the public on the critical importance of immunization, while addressing vaccine hesitancy, building public trust, tackling dangerous myths and combating misinformation.
We also work closely with the government to equip parents and communities with the knowledge they need to protect their children.
UNICEF Kyrgyzstan supports the training of front-line health workers on how to inform families about the benefits of immunization and reinforce government efforts to monitor public attitudes and immunization rates to tackle any problems as quickly as possible.
Vaccines are safe. It is far more likely to be seriously injured by a vaccine-preventable disease than by a vaccine. For example, polio can cause paralysis, measles can cause encephalitis and blindness, and some vaccine-preventable diseases can even result in death.
UNICEF supports national and local information campaigns to educate the public on the critical importance of immunization, while addressing vaccine hesitancy, building public trust, tackling dangerous myths and combating misinformation. We also work closely with the government to equip parents and communities with the knowledge they need to protect their children.
UNICEF Kyrgyzstan supports the training of frontline health-care workers on how to inform families about the benefits of immunization, and is reinforcing government efforts to monitor public attitudes and immunization rates to tackle any problems as quickly as possible.
Resources
These resources on health and nutrition represent just a small selection of materials produced by UNICEF and its partners in the region. The list is regularly updated to include the latest information.
