Vaccines

James Chinomba sits on the balcony with his youngest son Wisdom, a bright five-year-old boy, before going off to feed the pigs and tend to his farm after a day at work. James is   a   health worker at the Chileka Health Center in central Malawi. When he heard the malaria vaccine was being rolled out as part of a pilot programme, he signed up…, Malaria vaccine in Malawi, Since 2019, health centers in Malawi like Chileka, have been part of a pilot programme for a malaria vaccine supported by UNICEF, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the World Health Organization. Children are given four jabs from the age of five months to their final dose at 23 months. The programme has shown to reduce symptomatic malaria cases by 75…, More on vaccines

Think of a person. Not someone you know. Someone you’ve never met. Picture them on the other side of the world, somewhere you’ve never been.  You share one of humanity’s greatest achievements: immunization. Because like you, they’ve had their childhood vaccines.  In the last 50 years alone, vaccines have saved 154 million lives. That’s 6 people…, UNICEF’s call to action, Une mère embrasse son bébé. Des lignes et des cercles bleus colorés sont illustrés en arrière-plan. Vaccines are one of the most effective and cost-efficient public health interventions that exist. But they can’t save lives unless we invest in them. It’s time for governments to re-commit to vaccines. We call on donor countries to financially…, Impact and stories, About the campaign, Un jeune garçon sourit en montrant le haut de son bras pour indiquer qu'il est vacciné. Des lignes et des cercles roses colorés sont illustrés en arrière-plan. We’re beginning this global advocacy campaign alongside World Immunization Week, which marks the 50th anniversary of the Essential Programme on Immunization (EPI), the routine childhood…

GENEVA/NEW YORK, 20 March 2024 – Immediate action is needed to stem an unprecedented multi-year upsurge in cholera cases worldwide, according to the International Coordinating Group (ICG) on Vaccine Provision. Actions include investing in access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene, testing and detecting outbreaks quickly, improving quality of…

In designing and delivering programs to improve individual and societal wellbeing, we must increasingly contend with how disinformation erodes public trust and can lead to unhealthy behaviors. On both online and offline platforms, there is more information — including more low-quality information — circulating than ever before. It is also…

“At first, I was scared of injections,” Leen says as she remembers how she used to feel when it came time to get vaccinated. “But I saw what happened to children who weren’t vaccinated. They got a fever and a red rash because they had measles.” Leen is just 10 years-old, but she has already seen the life-saving potential of routine immunization.…, Troubling trend, Measles and rubella are highly contagious and major causes of child mortality and congenital disabilities, yet both diseases can be prevented through vaccination. By late November 2023, a total of 50,795 suspected cases of measles and rubella had been reported in Yemen, resulting in more than 560 associated deaths – a sharp increase from the 27,…, Empowered and proud, Although children are signing up on an individual, voluntary basis to be sponsors, they are given a chance to participate in joint activities with other child sponsors and are also provided with useful school items – an important incentive for children from the poorest households. In addition, the sponsor initiative is conducted in partnership…

More than 330,000 doses of WHO-recommended RTS,S malaria vaccine arrived last night in Cameroon – a historic step towards broader vaccination against one of the deadliest diseases for African children Malaria burden is the highest on the African continent, which accounted for approximately 95% of global malaria cases and 96% of related deaths in…

Since 1988, the number of children affected by polio has reduced by 99 per cent. While the end of polio is within reach, immunization efforts can easily be derailed by the rapid spread of vaccine misinformation, putting vulnerable children at risk.  Take for example Pakistan, one of just two countries where polio remains endemic, where fake videos…, The polio ‘listening post’, “Social listening is like a disease surveillance system, but instead of the virus, we track and analyze polio misinformation. Using cutting-edge digital media and tools we collect and analyze publicly available data on polio and vaccines across social media, digital media, broadcast news and print media platforms,” says Adnan Shahzad, the Digital…, Clear and accurate messaging, “What we say must be accurate and easy to understand for everyone,” says Soterine Tsanga, Polio Outbreak Response SBC specialist with UNICEF, who is also involved in the roll out of DCE to countries. “When there’s a polio outbreak, our goal is to respond swiftly to reach children with vaccination and stop further spread of the virus. We cannot…, Examples of accurate polio vaccine messaging created for digital sharing., UNICEF A photo of a mother holding her baby paired with text stating that vaccinations are the best way to fight polio. Polio vaccination messaging - Digital Community Engagement, Examples of accurate polio vaccine messaging created for digital sharing., UNICEF Graphic showing a smiling child next to text accurate messaging on polio Digital Community Engagement social media graphic - Polio paralysis, Examples of accurate polio vaccine messaging created for digital sharing., UNICEF A graphic shows a young girl in a yellow shit next to positive messaging on polio. Digital Community Engagement social media graphic - Polio WHO, Examples of accurate polio vaccine messaging created for digital sharing., UNICEF A polio awareness graphic showing facts, cartoon droplets, and a photo of a young child. Polio vaccination social campaign content. UNICEF, Examples of accurate polio vaccine messaging created for digital sharing., UNICEF A green cut-out style graphic showing a photo of a child receiving a vaccination alongside accurate information about vaccine safety. Polio vaccine information social graphic DCE, UNICEF., Examples of accurate polio vaccine messaging created for digital sharing., UNICEF A graphic shows a photo of a child next to text that states the benefits of vaccination. A photo of a mother holding her baby paired with text stating that vaccinations are the best way to fight polio. Graphic showing a smiling child next to text accurate messaging on polio A graphic shows a young girl in a yellow shit next to positive…, Digital volunteers quash rumours, Mariama, a digital social mobilizer in Dakar, looks at her phone and laptop screens. Mariama, a 20 years old digital social mobilizer working with UNICEF in Dakar, shares polio information, tracks misinformation, and responds to questions about polio. A big part of UNICEF’s social behaviour change work for polio eradication involves engaging local…, Local outreach and digital engagement, Digital Community Engagement enables countries to bridge the gap between their on-the-groundwork and digital communities, while fostering trust in childhood immunization. Pakistan’s polio eradication programme has managed several misinformation crises. In October 2022, a Facebook post falsely claimed that a child had died after receiving the polio…, More opportunities ahead, While there has been tremendous progress in getting the social listening and misinformation alert systems up and running, there is always more to do. DCE is now focused on strengthening local misinformation response teams while continuing to engage online communities through digital volunteers.  For Gulzar Ahmed Khan, a 28-year-old polio social…

NEW YORK/COPENHAGEN, 12 October – UNICEF today announced an agreement to secure supply of the world’s second malaria vaccine, R21/Matrix-M. The deal is a major milestone towards meeting the high demand for doses of new vaccines against malaria – a disease which still kills one child under five every minute. The long-term agreement signed with…

In response to high demand for the first-ever malaria vaccine, 12 countries in Africa will be allocated a total of 18 million doses of RTS,S/AS01 for the 2023–2025 period Malaria Vaccine Implementation Programme countries Ghana, Kenya and Malawi will receive doses to continue vaccinations in pilot areas Allocations were also made for new…

In every corner of the globe, community health workers – the majority of whom are women - are key to the success of vaccination and primary care health services. We know that when health services are designed and delivered by members of the communities they serve, they’re far more likely to prove successful. If we’re going to reach children from…, As community health workers, women are so often on the frontline , Globally, female community health workers are working tirelessly to reach out to communities and immunize children, in addition to providing other essential primary health care services. Kamala, Maria, Sadiya and Bahareh are among the remarkable community health workers who bring essential services to children and mothers in Nepal, Ecuador,…, A global shortage in community health workers is a gender issue, In most parts of the world, community health workers are often low-paid and denied opportunities for training and professional growth. And we know that most community health workers globally are women. Furthermore, although they form the bulk of the health workforce, women have long been underrepresented in leadership roles.   Women make up nearly…, These are the steps we need to take to empower community health workers and set them up for success , It’s imperative that community health workers are provided with good and regular pay, and decent working conditions. That’s the minimum needed to recognize their dedication and invaluable contributions. Some of the other steps that need to be taken to ensure that community health workers are equipped to deliver to their full potential include:…, It’s crucial that we empower community health workers to succeed and thrive in their work, Nurse Parvina Khaydarova (front left) and Dilbar Boltaeva (front right), who is a physician, make house calls to vaccinate children in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Nurse Parvina Khaydarova (front left) and Dilbar Boltaeva (front right), who is a physician, make house calls to vaccinate children in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. As we’ve learned during the COVID…

After decades of civil war, Angola achieved peace in 2002. But in the past two decades, despite the end of the conflict, the country has struggled to reach every child with lifesaving vaccines.   Even before the COVID-19 pandemic 30 per cent of children in Angola were identified as zero-dose, leaving them vulnerable to a range of preventable and…

Cholera doesn't know borders. Despite being preventable and easily treatable, children continue to suffer from the potentially fatal disease. After years of steady decline, cholera has made a devastating comeback. More than 1.1 billion people are at risk, with children under 5 especially vulnerable. The intestinal infection often spreads because…, What is cholera?  , Cholera is an intestinal infection. It’s caused by ingestion of food or water that’s contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.  Researchers conservatively estimate that every year, there are as many as 4 million cholera cases globally and as many as 143,000 deaths. Young children, especially those under the age of 5, bear the brunt of the…, What makes a country cholera-endemic? , A cholera-endemic area is where cases have been detected during the past 3 years, and there’s evidence that it was caused by local transmission, rather than being imported from elsewhere. Meanwhile, a cholera outbreak (epidemic) can occur in countries where cholera does not regularly occur or in endemic countries.  Children in the village of Hatla…, How does cholera spread? , Cholera disproportionately affects the world’s poorest and most vulnerable communities. A lack of access to clean water and sanitation facilities is closely linked to an increased likelihood of cholera transmission. That means that children who are living in urban slums and camps for internally displaced people or refugees are particularly…, If a child is infected with cholera, what are the symptoms?  , Most children infected with cholera will have no or mild symptoms, and through the use of oral rehydration solution, they can be successfully treated. But if left untreated, the disease can kill within hours. Severe cases of cholera require rapid treatment with intravenous fluids and antibiotics.   After ingesting contaminated food or water, it…, How is cholera treated?  , If infected with cholera, most children can be treated successfully through the quick administration of oral rehydration solution (ORS), which is a mixture of salt and sugar. UNICEF and the World Health Organization distribute sachets of this solution that need to be dissolved in clean water.   From 2000 to 2019, the total annual number of deaths…, What can be done to prevent the spread of cholera?  , A multifaceted approach is key to controlling cholera and reducing deaths. First and foremost, ensuring that every child has access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation is essential. It’s also important that children in communities at risk have access to the WHO pre-qualified oral cholera vaccines.  Furthermore, community engagement…, Are there vaccines available to prevent cholera?  , There are currently three World Health Organization pre-qualified oral cholera vaccines: Dukoral, Shanchol and Euvichol-Plus. In order to be fully protected, all of these vaccines require two doses. The International Coordinating Group (ICG), which UNICEF is a member of, manages the global stockpile of oral cholera vaccines. The group has…, Where in the world are we seeing cholera outbreaks?  , In recent years, we’ve seen a surge in the number of cholera outbreaks globally. 30 countries faced cholera outbreaks in 2022 – an alarming 145 per cent average increase from the previous five-year average. Countries like Lebanon and Syria reported cholera for the first time in decades. Meanwhile, an outbreak in Haiti in 2022 had a significant…, How is UNICEF responding to these cholera outbeaks?  , UNICEF has stepped up efforts to respond to cholera outbreaks in coordination with national authorities and partners. That includes widely distributing millions of water treatment tablets to ensure families in impacted communities have access to safe water.   We also supply local health departments with oral rehydration salt sachets and zinc, in…, Are we close to eliminating cholera? , Through the successful adoption of prevention measures and increased access to cholera treatment methods, including oral rehydration salt and zinc, we’re closer than ever to ensuring that no child dies from this preventable disease.   In 2021, UNICEF distributed over 93 million zinc tablets and more than 30 million oral rehydration salt sachets…