UNICEF and partners provide an opportunity to catch up with essential vaccination for children and adults during the World Immunization Week

KYIV, 27 April 2023 — During World Immunization Week from 24 to 30 April, Ukraine’s Ministry of Health mobile vaccination teams will offer children and adults an opportunity to receive vaccines at more than 30 UNICEF Spilno Child Spots across Ukraine. Vaccines received on schedule, or as catch-up doses,  will help ensure protection from highly infectious and dangerous diseases.

“UNICEF encourages parents to check their children's and their own vaccination status and prioritize vaccination in the context of war. During immunization week, we urge you to visit your family doctor to receive any missed vaccines. You can also visit UNICEF’s Spilno Spots with your children and use this opportunity to get vaccinated and learn more about vaccines. It is crucial to catch up on any missed vaccines.  This is particularly critical given current cases of measles in Ukraine. You can receive a vaccination consultation at the "Spilno to Health" hotline. The more people who protect their children and themselves, the less is risk there is to the health and lives of all Ukrainian children,” stressed UNICEF Ukraine Representative Murat Sahin.

At Spilno Spots, children and adults can get immunized against vaccine-preventable diseases. You can find a list of Spilno Child Spots where Health Ministry mobile teams will offer an opportunity to get vaccinated at this link. Spilno Child Spots will also offer thematic interactive quizzes for children, large outdoor colouring-in activities, photo zones, merchandise, and useful handouts for adults about vaccination.

​​"The full-scale war has brought out many new challenges to Ukraine, but we have not stopped vaccination for a single day, realizing its strong importance in protecting our people, especially children. Thanks to the dedicated work of medical professionals and strong and reliable support from international partners, the healthcare system has withstood. The partners helped us with vaccine supply and provided cold storage equipment, as well as cars for transportation, and buses for vaccination. We urge Ukrainians to be conscious, take care of their health, and get vaccinated as early as they can because this really can save lives," said Ihor Kuzin, Deputy Minister of Health and Chief State Sanitary Doctor of Ukraine.

To help the Government of Ukraine, UNICEF continues to supply vaccines and upgrade of cold chain. . On 25 April, UNICEF provided the Ministry of Health with six large refrigerator vehicles for vaccine transportation.

Earlier in April, UNICEF delivered 543,000 doses of oral polio vaccine (OPV) and 110,160 doses of inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) to protect Ukrainian children against the deadly disease. In addition, 35,200 doses of vaccine against measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) was delivered in March.

People can learn more about vaccination and child feeding at the "Spilno to Health" hotline (0 800 351 896). Operators - doctors, nurses and breastfeeding consultants - answer calls from all over Ukraine from 8:00–20:00 Monday-Saturday.

"To vaccinate yourself and your children means you are responsible and can think a few steps ahead. The common health starts with vaccination! We have enough enemies even without it, so we shouldn't let diseases control our lives," emphasized Andriy Pashynnyi, Head of the Immunization Department of the Center for Public Health of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.

"Vaccinating children and getting vaccinated yourself means being responsible and thinking a few steps ahead. Public health starts with vaccination! We already have enough enemies, so let's not let diseases rule our lives," said Andriy Pashynnyi, Head of the Immunization Department at the Central Public Health Center.