Talking Points for 29 April 2013
Intensification
of Routine Immunization and launch of Branding Communication materials on Routine
Immunization
Louis-Georges Arsenault, UNICEF India Representative
Honourable AS of Health, distinguished
guests and partners,
Let me congratulate you for launching Immunization Communication Campaign in this special immunization week. We consider this very timely especially after the Call to Action Summit in February in Chennai India.
Immunization, as we all know, is one of the most successful public health initiatives to save the lives of children. Special Immunization Week, therefore is a time for us to collectively reflect on the successes, failures and challenges that we have encountered in saving lives of children
Global Scenario: each year, globally, immunization averts an estimated 2-3 million deaths from diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio and measles - life-threatening diseases that disproportionately affect children.
Worth to mention that global efforts to vaccinate infants and children against life-threatening diseases reached a record high in 2011 - effectively immunizing an estimated 83% of children –
Yet, one out of every five child do not receive vital vaccines, exposing them to potential disability or premature death.
India’s Scenario: Each year full immunization prevents approximately 4 lakh under-five deaths from vaccine preventable diseases in India. But close to 75 lakh children every year miss the benefits of childhood vaccinations. A majority of those missing the opportunity are from among underserved and marginalized populations. For example, in Bihar and Punjab, more boys were vaccinated as compared to girl children. Children from the hard to reach communities were less likely to have completed their vaccination schedule.
Therefore, we advocate for strengthening multi-dimensional approaches to reach the unreached as follows:
First, more efforts are needed to support effective planning, enhancing capacities, behaviour change communication for community and service provider and advocacy at policy level.
Second to capitalize on the strong political will that already exists. India’s success against smallpox and the recent win over Polio are ample evidences to show that we now have the technical knowhow and the capacities to prevent avoidable deaths of children.
Third, to enhance effective solution to overcome obstacle of delivering vaccines to children in remote regions, which includes addressing the community perceptions and irrational fears about the use of vaccines, increasing effectiveness of Routine Immunization Sessions through better planning and monitoring
Finally, devising special tailored strategies to reach the disadvantaged communities! For example, polio social mobilization network working in high risk areas has shown the way to reach the underserved population with polio vaccination, and the same needs to be harnessed for routine immunization
The recent Call to Action summit which was held in February 2013 in Chennai emphasizes on focussed and concerted action to achieve the MDG 4 target by 2015 for which immunization plays significant role.
The Special Immunization Weeks will help us consolidate the lessons learnt and prepare a concerted action plan that will scale up innovative approaches. It will help advocate for greater accountability, increased awareness and efficient immunization service delivery. UNICEF will continue to emphasize the links between immunization, maternal and child survival, improved child health and overall economic development.
The launch of the Routine Immunisation branding is an opportunity to advocate for reaching the missed “fifth child” and draw attention to immunization’s successes, its unfinished agenda and the need for sustained support from our partners and media friends.
Immunization, as we all know, is one of the most successful public health initiatives to save the lives of children. Special Immunization Week, therefore is a time for us to collectively reflect on the successes, failures and challenges that we have encountered in saving lives of children
Global Scenario: each year, globally, immunization averts an estimated 2-3 million deaths from diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio and measles - life-threatening diseases that disproportionately affect children.
Worth to mention that global efforts to vaccinate infants and children against life-threatening diseases reached a record high in 2011 - effectively immunizing an estimated 83% of children –
Yet, one out of every five child do not receive vital vaccines, exposing them to potential disability or premature death.
India’s Scenario: Each year full immunization prevents approximately 4 lakh under-five deaths from vaccine preventable diseases in India. But close to 75 lakh children every year miss the benefits of childhood vaccinations. A majority of those missing the opportunity are from among underserved and marginalized populations. For example, in Bihar and Punjab, more boys were vaccinated as compared to girl children. Children from the hard to reach communities were less likely to have completed their vaccination schedule.
Therefore, we advocate for strengthening multi-dimensional approaches to reach the unreached as follows:
First, more efforts are needed to support effective planning, enhancing capacities, behaviour change communication for community and service provider and advocacy at policy level.
Second to capitalize on the strong political will that already exists. India’s success against smallpox and the recent win over Polio are ample evidences to show that we now have the technical knowhow and the capacities to prevent avoidable deaths of children.
Third, to enhance effective solution to overcome obstacle of delivering vaccines to children in remote regions, which includes addressing the community perceptions and irrational fears about the use of vaccines, increasing effectiveness of Routine Immunization Sessions through better planning and monitoring
Finally, devising special tailored strategies to reach the disadvantaged communities! For example, polio social mobilization network working in high risk areas has shown the way to reach the underserved population with polio vaccination, and the same needs to be harnessed for routine immunization
The recent Call to Action summit which was held in February 2013 in Chennai emphasizes on focussed and concerted action to achieve the MDG 4 target by 2015 for which immunization plays significant role.
The Special Immunization Weeks will help us consolidate the lessons learnt and prepare a concerted action plan that will scale up innovative approaches. It will help advocate for greater accountability, increased awareness and efficient immunization service delivery. UNICEF will continue to emphasize the links between immunization, maternal and child survival, improved child health and overall economic development.
The launch of the Routine Immunisation branding is an opportunity to advocate for reaching the missed “fifth child” and draw attention to immunization’s successes, its unfinished agenda and the need for sustained support from our partners and media friends.
AGENDA
Intensification
of Routine Immunization
Launch of National Routine Immunization Communication
Campaign
29
April 2013, Jacaranda Hall–1, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi
10:30–11:00 AM
|
Registration
|
|
11:00–11:05 AM
|
Welcome
& objective
|
Dr Rakesh Kumar, Joint
Secretary, RCH, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
|
11.05–11:15 AM
|
Launch
of National Routine Immunization Communication campaign.
|
Ms Anuradha Gupta,
Additional Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, and Mission
Director, National Rural Health Mission.
|
11.15–11:30 AM
|
Address
by Government of India and partners
.
|
Ms Anuradha Gupta
Mr Louis-Georges Arsenault, UNICEF Representative to
India.
|
11:30–12:00 PM
|
Q
& A with media
|
Panel:
Government of India, UNICEF and WHO
|
12:00 onwards
|
Lunch
|
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