African Vaccination Week: Vaccination is every child's right

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Extract from the article: In Togo, African Vaccination Week was observed from June 05 to 11, 2023, against a backdrop of « Catching up ». In Greater Lomé, the event was marked by an awareness-raising campaign on the importance of vaccinating children.

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In Togo, African Vaccination Week was observed from June 05 to 11, 2023, against a backdrop of « Catching up ». In Greater Lomé, the event was marked by an awareness-raising campaign on the importance of vaccinating children.

In neighborhoods and markets, vaccination teams including medical students, young people from the anti-Covid brigade and the Green Police talked to parents about the need and importance of vaccination. 

« Vaccination is a right for every child », « dear parents, it's our duty to protect our children against vaccine-preventable diseases », « it's important for our children to respect the vaccination schedule », « a fully vaccinated child is a protected and fulfilled child », were among the strong messages conveyed during this campaign carried out in collaboration with the WHO.

Households in the Agoè neighborhoods of Fiovi, Haoussa Zongo and Zopomahe, and in the Golfe, notably Segbe Akato, Adakpame Apeyeme and Adamavo Zorobar, were visited by agents who vaccinated zero-dose children (never vaccinated) and incompletely vaccinated children.

According to the Ministry of Health, the theme of this year's event, "Le grand rattrapage" (the big catch-up), reflects the collateral effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Indeed, the COVID-19 pandemic has exerted unprecedented pressure on healthcare systems in all countries. Over the past 3 years, countries have delivered many more doses of vaccine than ever before as part of the record roll-out of COVID-19 vaccination, and many of you have played an important role in supporting this hard work. At the same time, however, the years 2020 and 2021 marked an alarming decline in global coverage of essential vaccines for children and adolescents.

The "Great Catch-up" to catch up with children missed since the pandemic, restore immunization services against pandemics and other disruptions, and strengthen immunization to get back on track towards IA2030 and other global goals.

Vaccination is a simple, safe medical procedure involving the introduction into the body of a specific substance (vaccine) that confers immunity or resistance to a given disease. After vaccination, the body stores the microbe in its memory. If the same microbe enters the body at a later date, the immune system is able to recognize and destroy it.

Routine immunization is one of the essential elements of sound primary health care and universal health coverage, providing an opportunity for contact with care early in life, and offering every child the chance of a healthy life from the start.

Elom AKAKPO