The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called on the governments and other partners not to relent, but to strengthen the momentum on progress made so far by continuing to provide budgetary allocations to ensure that every eligible child gets lifesaving vaccines to survive and reach their full potential.
Juliet Chiluwe, Chief of UNICEF Field Office Enugu, made the call when declaring open a two-day Multi Zonal Media Dialogue, organised by UNICEF in collaboration with Broadcasting Corporation of Abia State, on the occasion of 2025 World Immunization Week, with the theme ‘Immunization for All is Humanly Possible’, in Enugu recently.
Chiluwe said that over the last 50 years, essential vaccines have saved at least 15 4 million lives. That is six people every minute for five decades in the same period and that vaccination has reduced infant deaths by 40% and more children now lives to see their first birthday and beyond than at any other time.
She described the meeting as auspicious occasion used in fostering dialogue that will help promote and provide quality immunization services to everyone, especially the children.
“UNICEF uses this opportunity to emphasize that vaccines are proof that less disease, 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 the Humanity’s greatest achievements.”
According to her, UNICEF joins efforts with healthcare providers and governments to promote and commemorate the values of immunization services as should which entails getting to the last mile.”
“2025, as we approach world immunization week theme, immunization for all is humanly possible, it is essential to underscore the continued relevance of this global observers, the fame reaffirms the feasibility and the necessity of protecting everyone from newborns to the NRA, against vaccine preventable diseases through inclusive and equitable immunization services in all these years.
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“UNICEF, in partnership with the media, and other development partners, continue to provide strategic and operational support in the following areas, advocacy, communication and social mobilization, logistics and Co-chain support infrastructure strengthening, such as establishment of oxygen gas plants to strengthen health systems in states, in addition to routine immunization support,” she said.
Olusoji Akinleye, Health specialist UNICEF Field Office Enugu, said that 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 protect against more than 30 life-threatening diseases, with more recent vaccines against Malaria, HPV, Cholera, dengue, meningitis, RSV, Ebola, among others.”
Ijeoma Onuoha Ogwe, Communication Officer, UNICEF, Enugu Field Office, 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.
