Vaccines save children's lives
World immunization week April 24-30
- Srpski
- English
World Immunization Week, celebrated every year in the last week of April, is an opportunity to draw public attention to the importance of vaccination as one of the most effective and safest measures to protect public health, especially for children.
Vaccines are one of humanity's greatest achievements, saving 154 million lives over the past 50 years. And yet, due to misinformation, humanitarian crises, funding cuts, there has been the concerning rise in measles cases across Europe and globally.
Last year, the region of Europe and Central Asia recorded the highest number of reported measles cases in more than 25 years.
- As much as one third of global measles cases – 108,200 – were reported in the Europe and Central Asia region (32%).
- More than 40 per cent of reported cases in our region – some 45,000 – were among children under five, who are the most at risk of severe complications and death.
- More than half of those who contracted measles in 2024 in our region – nearly 60,000 people – required hospitalization (55%).
Serbia has been making gradual progress in increasing measles vaccination coverage year by year. However, not every child is yet protected, hence measles outbreaks continue to reoccur. Data for 2023 show that the coverage rate for the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine in the second year of child`s life in the Republic of Serbia was 84.5%, compared to 81.3% in 2022. In 2024, 886 cases of measles have been reported in Serbia.
Without high vaccination rates, there is no health security. In order to stop the spread of measles, it is essential that at least 95% of children receive two doses of the vaccine. Entire communities, together with parents, caregivers, healthcare workers, other service providers, and decision-makers, share the responsibility to ensure that all children are protected from serious diseases on time. Because vaccines work, they are safe, effective, and protect not only children but the wider community as well.
In order for parents protect their children with timely vaccination, they need support, guidance, clearer information, and timely reminders. That is exactly why the "Bebbo app – Your partner in parenthood" exists.
The app is free and, among other features, contains over 50 articles on vaccination and the diseases it prevents, as well as a vaccination tracker with reminders that help parents ensure their children are vaccinated on time. Over 120,000 parents parents across countries in our region are actively using Bebbo's vaccination tracking tool, and 74% of surveyed parents attribute their children's timely vaccination to Bebbo's support.
UNICEF continues to work dedicatedly with the Ministry of Health and the Serbian Institute of Public Health "Dr. Milan Jovanović Batut" to ensure that every child in Serbia receives their vaccine on time — starting from early childhood.
During Immunization Week, it is important to remember that behind every protected child is a collective effort. And behind every vaccine, there is science, our shared care and love.
