Raising awareness of immunization

Immunization saves millions of lives and is widely recognized as one of the world’s most successful and cost-effective health interventions. Vaccines save 4-5 million lives each year worldwide from infectious diseases, such as hepatitis, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), measles and polio. Every year, 1.15 million children in the Western Pacific Region receive no essential vaccinations.

World Immunization Week, celebrated in the last week of April every year, aims to highlight the collective action needed to protect people from vaccine-preventable diseases. WHO, in collaboration with countries, Gavi, UNICEF and other global immunization partners, are joining forces in 2023 to launch “The Big Catch-up”, a global immunization push that aims to support efforts to catch up, restore and strengthen routine immunization worldwide.