World Immunization Week
24-30th April 2023
Theme: “The Big Catch-Up”
This year, we join the rest of the world in marking the World Immunization Week under the theme “The Big Catch-Up” – aimed at highlighting the collective action needed to protect people from diseases that can be prevented by vaccines.
At Amref Health Africa, we emphasize the need to tackle barriers that hinder vaccine equity, and access especially for marginalized and underserved communities. We remain committed to using innovative ways to deliver vaccines to unreached and unvaccinated communities across the African continent.
Share facts about #WorldImmunisationWeek2023
These communication tools are available to share and print during the World Immunization Week. Feel free to display and/or distribute on social media. On Twitter please tag @Amref_Worldwide when posting graphics from this social media toolkit.
# Primary Hashtags
#WorldImmunisationWeek2023
#AmrefVaccinationImpact
Quotes & Graphics
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Videos
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Amref Health Africa led COVID 19 vaccine camps reaches to hundreds of Ugandans https://youtu.be/RJPAXuby4nY
Regional Immunization Lead in Uganda speaks about vaccinations https://youtu.be/Mdz-7z_5924
Key Messages and Tweets
#WorldImmunisationWeek2023, is an opportunity for us to highlight the collective efforts needed to protect people of all ages from vaccine-preventable diseases to ensure healthier communities.
Join us as we mark #WorldImmunisationWeek2023 themed 'The Big Catch-Up', a call to restore and strengthen immunization coverage to at least the pre-pandemic levels by prioritizing millions of children who missed out on vaccinations.
We are breaking barriers to vaccine access through our Mobile Vaccination Clinics (MVCs) outreach services that help to bridge the #COVID19 vaccine gap, by bringing vaccination services closer to hard-to-reach communities in Kenya. @MOH_Kenya @AstraZeneca
#DYK: Each year, immunisation prevents 3.5-5 million deaths globally from diseases like diphtheria, tetanus, influenza, pertussis, and measles? With over 20 vaccines available, people of all ages can live longer and healthier lives, free from life-threatening illnesses.
#DYK: The Ministry of Health in Kenya (@MOH_Kenya) targets to vaccinate at least 1.5 million children yearly against diseases like measles, polio, tuberculosis, diarrhoea, and pneumonia; however, 1 in 6 children under one year do not complete their scheduled vaccines.
The solar-powered mobile clinics are an innovative solution that has increased COVID-19 vaccine access and uptake by providing vaccine awareness, COVID-19 screening, safe and accessible vaccination, and post-immunisation care. #AmrefVaccinationImpact
The Amref Mobile Clinic goes beyond COVID-19, by addressing other health determinants such as non-communicable diseases (NCDs) that influence how health emergencies like COVID-19 affect people. #AmrefVaccinationImpact
Increasing immunisation coverage fosters a healthier and more productive workforce, which boosts the economy of a country by protecting all people including the vulnerable groups in poor urban and rural areas, as well as conflict zones, from life-threatening diseases.
DID YOU KNOW: Kenya was among the 3 Sub-saharan countries to pilot the WHO-recommended malaria vaccine (RTS, S) in 2019. Since then, over 1 million doses have been administered to children across 8 counties, with nearly 400,000 children receiving at least one dose of the 4-dose vaccine.
Ensuring widespread vaccination of children in regions grappling with a heavy malaria burden promotes reductions in malaria-related deaths and illnesses.
Kenya’s ongoing malaria vaccination expansion initiative will increase access to malaria prevention interventions for vulnerable children, this is a valuable life-saving addition to the existing efforts to #EndMalaria.
Today on #WorldMalariaDay2023, we applaud the Ministry of Health Kenya's efforts in improving child health by expanding the use of the malaria vaccine to 25 more sub-counties within the 8 lake-endemic counties, in March 2023.
The free malaria vaccine has been administered as part of routine immunisation since 2019, in 26 high-burden sub-counties across the 8 counties in Western Kenya, and this has led to a substantial reduction in: child deaths, severe malaria, and child hospitalisations.
The vaccine is given in four separate doses, at 6 months, 7 months, 9 months, and 24 months and it has been shown to be safe and effective in reducing severe, life-threatening malaria. @Ministry of Health Kenya.
To truly #EndMalaria, we must also intensify existing prevention and control measures such as: indoor residual spraying, insecticide-treated mosquito nets, appropriate diagnosis and treatment, using artemisinin-based combination therapies and prevention of malaria during pregnancy.
To boost vaccine uptake in Kenya, Amref launched the Moonlight COVID-19 Vaccination drive in counties like Machakos to reach residents who work late or have busy schedules, allowing them to get vaccinated when regular vaccination posts are closed.
Access to life-saving childhood vaccines plays a significant role in increasing life expectancy and reducing the under-five mortality rate in Kenya.
Amref contributes to boosting vaccine uptake in hard-to-reach communities like Samburu, Kwale, and Turkana, which has yielded promising results, with a total of 29,122 immunisations administered in 2021 alone.
In Kenya, immunisation coverage has stagnated at 80%, with concerning fall backs in vaccines like HPV (30%) and second Measles-Rubella dose (50%). Only 1 in 2 children below 2 years have received the second jab of Measles-Rubella (MR) and only 1 in 3 girls aged 10 have received 2 doses of the HPV vaccine, which protects against cervical cancer.
Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) are instrumental in promoting the uptake of vaccines in Kenya by referring under-five children for timely immunisation, tracing defaulters, and visiting households to provide health education on immunisation.
Empowering Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) with training on immunisation will contribute to preventing deaths from vaccine-preventable diseases and boost immunisation coverage.
#WorldImmunisationWeek2023 is an opportunity to highlight the importance of strengthening primary health care to deliver effective, efficient, and resilient immunization services and thereby build lasting protection in communities.
Immunisation is a powerful tool in protecting communities and saving lives from infectious diseases. #WorldImmunisationWeek
Join the fight against infectious diseases by promoting immunisation as a critical public health intervention. #VaccinesWork
Vaccines save millions of lives each year, making them one of the most effective and cost-effective health interventions available. #WorldImmunisationWeek
Invest in a healthier future by supporting vaccination efforts. Every dollar spent on vaccines saves lives and resources! #AfricanVaccinationWeek
Vaccines are a smart investment in global health. Let's work together to ensure their accessibility for all! #VaccinesForAll
Immunisation not only protects individuals but also contributes to community immunity, preventing outbreaks. 🌍🩺 #WorldImmunisationWeek
Community immunity is key to stopping the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases. Get vaccinated and protect everyone! #AfricanVaccinationWeek
Together, we can prevent outbreaks and build stronger, healthier communities through immunisation. #CommunityImmunity
Amref capitilises on its capabilities in public health and use of innovative technologies in health to complement government strategies in ramping up vaccine access amongst targeted populations through Mobile Clinics.
The mobile clinic has facilitated vaccination and health promotion outreaches in nine counties. As of March 2023, 12901 people have received COVID-19 vaccines.
The mobile clinics are solar-powered which ensures operational efficiencies during rollout to last-mile communities that has limited or no electricity while minimizing environmental impact.
The movable clinics brings COVID-19 vaccines and other health services to hard-to-reach communities across Kenya and ultimately help increase vaccine access and uptake in communities.
We welcome other partners to join in this noble initiative to bring down access barriers by promoting easier access to immunization services to last-mile communities with limited or no access to vaccines and other health services.