Immunization is a global health success story, saving millions of lives every year. Vaccines reduce risks of getting a disease by working with your body’s natural defenses to build protection. When you get a vaccine, your immune system responds. We now have vaccines to prevent more than 30 life-threatening diseases and infections, helping people of all ages live longer, healthier lives ...
Immunization currently prevents 4-5 million deaths every year Immunization prevents deaths every year in all age groups from diseases like diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), influenza and measles. It is one of the most successful and cost-effective public health interventions. An additional 1.5 million deaths could be avoided, however, if global vaccination coverage improves.
This year’s World Immunization Week theme, “For every generation, vaccines work”, aims to promote how vaccines have safely protected people, families, and communities for generations – and continue to safeguard our future.
The Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals department is responsible for targeting vaccine-preventable diseases, guiding immunization research and establishing immunization policy.
World Immunization Week, celebrated in the last week of April, aims to highlight the collective action needed and to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against disease.
Immunization prevents deaths every year in all age groups from diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), and measles. It is one of the most successful and cost-effective public health interventions. An additional 1.5 million deaths could be avoided, however, if global vaccination coverage improves.
During the 158th session of the WHO Executive Board, 36 Member States, including delegations from each of the WHO regions, and 11 non-State actors acknowledged the continued relevance of the Immunization Agenda 2030’s (IA2030) vision to ensure every one, everywhere benefits from life-saving vaccinations.