25 Apr 2017

The Ministry of Health and Wellness has launched the African Vaccination Week (AVW) to strengthen immunisation programmes in the African region.
Speaking during the launch in Rasesa on Monday, the deputy permanent secretary -Preventive Services Dr Haruna Jibril said the vaccination week also aimed at increasing awareness of the importance of every persons need and right to be protected from vaccine-preventable diseases.
He said immunization was widely recognised as one of the most successful and cost effective public health intervention.

It is through immunisation programme that smallpox was eradicated in 1974, polio targeted for eradication by 2018 and measles targeted for elimination by 2020, he said.
Dr Jabriel further said the goal of immunisation in Botswana was to vaccinate all children that required vaccination in order to protect them from vaccine preventable disease and subsequently contribute to the attainment of sustainable development goals.
He added that Botswana had made significant progress with regards to routine immunisation as reflected by the introduction of new vaccines into the national immunization schedule and routine immunisation coverage which is above 90 per cent (WHO target) for most of antigens.
Vaccine week is commemorated from April 24 to 30 under the theme: ‘Vaccines protect everyone, get vaccinated.’

He said Botswana joined other African countries to commemorate AVW to create awareness and demand for immunisation services to ensure that all those who were eligible were vaccinated.
“The ministry of health has noticed with concern the decline in the immunisation coverage in 2016 where immunisation coverage was below WHO target of 90 per cent. This signifies accumulation of under and an unvaccinated child which alerts us to possible outbreaks of vaccines preventable diseases,” he said.
He said in 2015 Botswana reported 3 640 and 10 232 of under and an unvaccinated children in 2016.

World Health Organisation country representative Dr Martins Ovberedjo said in 2010 the World Health Assembly endorsed a proposal by the Global Experts to establish the World Immunisation Week.
He said the overall objective of the initiative was creating awareness on vaccination, promoting universal accessibility of immunisation services as well as providing a platform for integrated delivery of other interventions with delivery of immunisations.
Dr Ovberedjo said the African Head of States also endorsed the initiative hence the African Vaccination Week celebrated by many countries in the region.

He said again in January 31, African leaders endorsed the Declaration on Immunisation in Addis Ababa and its implementation will see Africa cease from losing children to vaccine preventable diseases.
The WHO country representative said it was encouraging to see Botswana marking the implementation of the Addis Declaration of Immunization (ADI) through a national launch of the AVW.
When giving a vote of thanks, MP for Mochudi West Mr Gilbert Mangole said he appreciated parents’ role in taking their children for regular visits to hospitals and following the procedure for vaccinations.ENDS