World Immunuzation Week: No Nigerian Community Should Be Left Behind, Says UNICEF

Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba

The United Nations Children’s Fund, (UNICEF), has called on all citizens and communities in Nigeria to join in efforts to protect people of all ages against vaccine-preventable diseases through proper Immunization, noting that statistical evidence spanning about half century showed that millions of people, especially children, have been saved globally by the administration of essential vaccines.

The Chief of Field Office at UNICEF’s Enugu office, Mrs Juliet Chiluwe, made this known in Enugu on Thursday during a two-day multi-zonal media dialogue to commemorate the 2025 World Immunization Week (WIW) with the theme, “Immunization For All Is Humanly Possible”.

As part of the week-long activities, Chiluwe revealed that an extensive immunization exercise would be carried out across the 12 targeted states of Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Cross River, Benue, Ebonyi, Enugu, Kogi, Imo and Rivers.

Chiluwe said that for five decades at least six lives have been saved through immunization considering the fact that over the last 50 years, essential vaccines have saved at least 154 million lives in the last 50 years. 

It is noteworthy that during the same period, vaccination has drastically reduced infant mortality by 40%, so that more children now survive the first 12 months of their life, all because of the use of essential vaccines.

She said that in line with the objective of this year’s World Immunization Week “it is essential to underscore the continued relevance of this global observance”, adding that medical and health practitioners as well as members of the Media were duty-bound to ensure the promotion of “the feasibility and necessity of protecting everyone, from newborns to the elderly, against vaccine-preventable diseases, through inclusive and equitable immunization services”.

While harping on the value of the world-wide commemorating the WIW in the last week of April every year, Chiluwe said, “UNICEF joins efforts with healthcare providers and governments to promote the values of immunization services as should, which entails getting to the last mile or kilometer.

“UNICEF uses this opportunity to emphasize that vaccines are a proof that less disease but more life is possible when we put our minds to it. It’s time to show the world that ‘Immunization for All is Humanly Possible’

“Vaccines remain one of humanity’s greatest achievements and over the last 50 years, essential vaccines have saved at least 154 million lives. That’s six lives a minute, every day, for five decades.”

She urged the government and other partners of UNICEF to continue to strengthen and advance the momentum of progress recorded over the years through meaningful budgetary provisions to ensure that every child get immunized with life-saving vaccines in order that children would survive and reach their full potential in life.

She urged stakeholders to be deliberate about getting the people, communities and the whole world to know that immunuzation for all is, indeed, humanly possible.

Olusoji Akinleye, Health Specialist UNICEF Field Office Enugu, said the world immunization week, celebrated in the last week of April, aimed to promote the life-saving power of immunization to protect people of all ages against vaccine preventable diseases.

Akinleye, who explained in details about world immunization week, said that more lives are now being saved among people of all ages and that Measles vaccine alone accounts for 60% of those lives saved.

“Vaccine protects against more than 30 life-threatening diseases, with more recent vaccines against Malaria, HPV, Cholera, dengue, meningitis, RSV, Ebola, among others.”

Dr Ijeoma Onuoha-Ogwe, Communication Officer, UNICEF Enugu Field Office, had earlier outlined the objective of the meeting to educate the media partners to have accurate messages about immunization for all as humanly possible, with current situation as provided by the 2025 theme and communication materials.

During the media dialogue on WIW, which was jointly sponsored by UNICEF and the Broadcasting Corporation of Abia State (BCAS), journalists from the 12 aforementioned states offered commitment to monitor the immunization exercise within their areas, particularly in rural communities within their respective states.