The 8th African Vaccination Week

The over-arching slogan of African Vaccination Week (AVW) is “Vaccinated communities, Healthy communities”. The 8th AVW will be celebrated from 23 to 29 April 2018 with the theme “Vaccines work, Do your part!” The theme highlights the collective action needed to ensure that every person is protected from vaccine-preventable diseases. It urges greater action on immunization across the African Region, with a particular focus on spotlighting the role that everyone can play in this effort, from donors to individuals.

This year’s AVW celebrations will happen in close connection with the ongoing implementation of the roadmap of the 10 commitment of the Ministers of health contained the Addis Ababa declaration and also with the World Immunization Week’s theme of “Protected Together: #VaccinesWork”.

2018 AVW campaign goals

In line with objectives of the global and regional immunization strategic plans, the persistent challenges to achieve the set targets, this year’s AVW will continue focus on advocacy and sensitization on the need and role of everyone to close the gap: individual, government, civil society, partners, etc

Therefore, WHO and partners aim at:

Highlight the need and importance for everyone to get vaccinated/ update its immunization status throughout the life course, while also receiving other lifesaving interventions
Ensuring full involvement and contribution of all stakeholder (CSO, OAFLA……)to make sure everyone is reached with vaccines and other health interventions
Advocate for government and all stakeholders to allocate sufficient resources to immunization as per 10 ADI commitment.

Implementation and achievements of the 2017 AVW

Since its institutionalization in April 2011, countries have conducted large scale vaccination campaigns, small scale vaccination activities or information outreach and health promotion through immunization and other child survival interventions.

The results achieved in 2017 were the following:

Nearly 14 million doses of vaccines administered in 19 countries
About 10 million deworming tablets were distributed in Angola, CAR, Comoros, Madagascar, Rwanda
6.3 million vitamin A tablets were distributed in Angola, CAR, Comoros, Madagascar, Rwanda, Sao Tomé, Zimbabwe
7.7 million children screened for malnutrition in Angola, Madagascar and Rwanda
3,000 LLITN distributed in Angola
Malaria and HIV testing activities in Angola and Madagascar, distribution of family planning devices in Rwanda.

Please follow @WHOAFRO and use the hashtag #AVW18 for updates on the 8th AVW.