Western Pacific urged to scale up investments in immunization

MANILA, Philippines - The World Health Organization (WHO) yesterday asked countries in the Western Pacific to scale up their investments in immunization, saying that two million to three million people in the region contract diseases that can be prevented by vaccines.

In a statement, WHO regional director Dr. Shin Young-soo said “member states in Western Pacific Region have done an excellent job in eliminating polio, controlling hepatitis B transmission, and reducing the number of reported cases of measles, preventing about 75,000 deaths per year.”

However, he said, immunizing children is a never ending job.

“Every day, thousands of babies are born in 37 countries and areas in our region, and we must create and maintain awareness to ensure a healthy childhood for these babies,” he said.

The call is in line with this week’s celebration of World Immunization Week which coincided with the 102nd Consultations of WHO Representatives and Country Liaison Officers in the Region in the WHO-Manila office.

The ceremonies will include the introduction of a rotavirus vaccine in the Philippines, the first country to do rotavirus vaccination in Asia; introduction of the second dose of measles vaccine in Cambodia; and the first public-private influenza campaign in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic.

WHO records showed that Western Pacific has made “significant progress” in improving immunizations.

“The region has remained poliomyelitis-free despite the continued threat of wild poliovirus importations from other places in the world. Routine and supplementary immunization activities have reduced the number of reported measles cases by 96 percent from 3,381,826 in 1974 to 145,747 in 2008; and 24 countries and areas have either eliminated or nearly eliminated measles ahead of the 2012 goal,” the statement read.

Aside from this, the Western Pacific is the first WHO region to include infant hepatitis B immunization in the national immunization programs of all its member states.

“However, there is still much work to be done. Several million children are not yet properly reached and adequately immunized. Every day thousands of babies are born and each is in need of vaccine protection from diseases,” WHO said.

The agency added that “parents and caregivers need to know how their children can be protected against many childhood diseases.”