AVW 2016 Theme, “Close the Immunization Gap. Stay Polio Free!”

Addis Ababa,  May 18-24, 2016: The Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) is commemorating the 6th African Vaccination Week (AVW) countrywide from 18-24 May 2016, with the national launching taking place in Assosa, Benishangul Gumuz on 18 May 2016. In line with the AVW theme, “Close the Immunization Gap; Stay Polio Free,’’ the commemorations aim to raise awareness of the importance of vaccination in reducing child mortality and renew efforts to reach the unreached children. 

Since 2011, Ethiopia has celebrated AVW through a series of activities including, advocacy and mobilization efforts, routine immunization defaulter tracing, registering new children and documenting coverage through intensified mobilization efforts. Review of routine immunization challenges and successes at regional and district level have contributed towards efforts aimed at closing the performance gaps, particularly in low-performing districts.

Ethiopia has made tremendous progress in expanding access to routine immunization. This substantially contributed to the achivment of MDG4 goal three years ahead of the target year. However, disparities in immunization service uptake persist among regions and woredas. This deserves further concerted efforts of FMoH and EPI partners to reach every community and every child.

“Health Section Transformation Plan (HSTP) outlines that the country will ensure equitable access to and utilization of quality health service by 2020, Immunization coverage is one of the best metrics to gauge the extent of inequity in health care. African Vaccination Week provides a great opportunity for us to reflect on essential improvements, persisting gaps and the best path ahead in the immunization programme in Ethiopia.” said His Excellency Dr. Kebede Worku, State Minister of Health.”.

Vaccination saves children’s lives and keeps adults, communities and nations healthy. In Africa, 1 in 5 children do not receive all the necessary and basic vaccines. Still, there is a need to increase knowledge that vaccinations need to be up-to-date at every point in a person’s life for full protection against dangerous and deadly vaccine preventable diseases.

In Ethiopia, Immunization and the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) is a top priority on the Federal Ministry of Health’s agenda. Africa Vaccination Week 2016 follows the first-ever Ministerial Conference on Immunization in Africa, held earlier this year in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. At the conference, African leaders took bold steps towards universal coverage with commitments outlined in the Declaration on Universal Access to Immunization as a cornerstone for Health and Development.

“I believe that the African Vaccination Week continues to bring opportunities that help us collectively close the immunization gap and renew our commitment to reach every child through equitable immunization access thereby achieve universal vaccination coverage with existing and new life saving vaccines.” said Dr Olusegun Ayorinde Babaniyi, Acting WHO Representative for Ethiopia.

Around the world, vulnerable children living in disaster prone areas due to natural hazards, conflict, hard to reach remote locations with limited resources and the urban poor are left behind on immunization.

“In Ethiopia, tremendous efforts continue to ensure all children are equally afforded the protection that routine immunization offers against deadly vaccine preventable diseases,” said Ms Gillian Mellsop, UNICEF Representative to Ethiopia. “In line with this year’s Africa Vaccination Week theme, we are working together to strengthen the routine immunization system and sustain the gains made in polio and other disease eradication strategies. We need to accelerate our efforts to ensure the well-being of every child, everywhere in Ethiopia through immunization.”

Led by the Federal Ministry of Health together with partners, AVW calls for every citizen; including parents, leaders, the media, health workers, and others to do their part to ensure that every child is fully vaccinated, recognizing- “Every Shot Counts.”

For more information, please contact:

Seralem Genet
EPI Program Officer, MCHN/MoH Ethiopia
email: epiexpert5.mch [at] gmail.com
Tel.:+251920717984

Selamawit Yilma
EPI Communications Officer
World Health Organization Ethiopia
email: yilmas [at] who.int
Tel.:+251911671134 

Wossen Mulatu
Communication Officer
UNICEF Ethiopia
email: wmulatu [at] unicef.org
Tel.: +251 115 184028, Mobile: +251 911 308483