Call for better immunization to reduce infectious disease risks in Europe
Joint efforts by international agencies, governments and civil society are needed to keep the numbers of cases of measles, diphtheria, rubella, pertussis and other vaccine-preventable diseases under control, and to prevent the re-emergence of diseases that have been eradicated from the Region, such as smallpox and poliomyelitis. This need was stressed at the Committee meeting, where representatives of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Bank, the Children's Vaccine Program, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the European Commission met to find ways to help countries in the Region strengthen their immunization systems and control vaccine-preventable infectious diseases.
"We need a true partnership to prevent outbreaks of vaccine-preventable disease and achieve the goal, set out in the United Nations General Assembly, of ensuring full immunization of children under 1 year of age," says Dr Marc Danzon, WHO Regional Director for Europe. "Each year, tens of thousands of people in the countries of the Region still suffer from vaccine-preventable, life-threatening and debilitating illnesses. We can save lives by scaling up the intervention that we know is effective: immunization. Through immunization, we can make a substantial contribution to achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals."
During the past decade, immunization has resulted in a substantial decrease of infectious diseases. For example, measles cases reported in the WHO European Region fell from 200 000 in 1994 to 30 000 in 2003. Today, owing to effective vaccination programmes, the occurrence of vaccine-preventable disease is comparatively low in Europe. Ironically, this has reduced the appreciation of immunization, as people are less aware of the risks of non-vaccination, and large outbreaks of disease have reappeared.
Although vaccination coverage has improved over the last ten years, vaccination rates vary widely between and within countries of the European Region. Both rich and poor countries have vulnerable groups - such as underprivileged children, minority groups and migrant populations - who still lack access to timely, high-quality vaccination. Experts from the WHO Regional Office for Europe's programme on vaccine-preventable diseases and immunization stress the need for special efforts to reach and maintain high levels of immunization in these groups.
"In 2002 the European Region was declared polio free. This tremendous goal could never have been achieved without strong and well-coordinated immunization partnership," says Dr Gudjón Magnússon, Director of the Division of Technical Support, Reducing Disease Burden at the Regional Office. "In the same way, it is clear that, without sustainable partnership, we will not achieve the goal of reaching and maintaining the highest possible levels of vaccination coverage to protect all the children of the European Region, particularly those in vulnerable and hard-to-reach groups."
The two-day session of the Interagency Immunization Coordinating Committee follows a meeting of the managers of national immunization programmes in each of the countries in the Region. The programme managers responsible for coordinating immunization activities discussed the specific problems and challenges in their countries, and these issues have been brought to the Committee's attention.
Further information on the work of the programme on vaccine-preventable diseases and immunization (http://www.euro.who.int/vaccine) is available on the Regional Office web site.
For more information contact:
TECHNICAL INFORMATION:
Ms Louise Gare-Leech
Poliomyelitis Eradication
WHO Regional Office for Europe
Scherfigsvej 8, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
Tel.: +45 39 17 14 23
Fax: +45 39 17 18 80
E-mail: LGA@euro.who.int
PRESS INFORMATION:
Ms Liuba Negru
Press and Media Relations
WHO Regional Office for Europe
Scherfigsvej 8, DK-2100 Copenhagen O, Denmark
Tel.: +45 3917 1344. Fax: +45 3917 1880
E-mail: LNE@euro.who.int
Cerere de mai bine de imunizare, pentru a reduce riscurile bolilor infecþioase în Europa - Call for better immunization to reduce infectious disease risks in Europe - articole medicale engleza - startsanatate