Protect your community: Get vaccinated
MANILA, 26 April 2015 – An estimated 1.5 million children worldwide die each year of diseases that can be readily
prevented by vaccines. On World Immunization Week (24 April – 3 May), the World Health Organization (WHO) in the Western
Pacific Region underscores the importance of immunization as a shared responsibility and a vital component in protecting
communities.
"Immunization is a crucial public health programme. It is the best, easiest and one of the most cost-effective ways to
protect people and their communities from a large number of diseases," said Dr Shin Young-soo, WHO Regional Director for
the Western Pacific.
Immunization saves an estimated 2 to 3 million lives worldwide each year from diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and
measles. Since the inception of the Expanded Programme on Immunization in 1974, vaccination has prevented millions of
deaths and disabilities in the Western Pacific Region, achieved dramatic declines in once highly endemic diseases,
stopped the transmission of wild poliovirus across the Region, and dramatically reduced the transmission of measles
virus and hepatitis B virus in many countries in the Region.
Immunization successes in the Region
The Western Pacific Region has made significant progress in the control of vaccine-preventable diseases.
• The Region continues to be polio-free since 2000 and is now implementing polio "endgame strategies" to support the
goal of a polio-free world. In November 2013, the Regional Certification Commission of Poliomyelitis Eradication in the
Western Pacific concluded that the Region has retained its polio-free status.
• Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Japan, Macao SAR (China), Mongolia and the Republic of Korea have been
verified as having achieved measles elimination, thanks to high immunization coverage, through routine immunization
services or campaigns.
• From 1990 to 2012, hepatitis B vaccination at birth in the Western Pacific Region increased from almost zero to three
out of four newborn infants. Meanwhile, three-dose vaccination coverage increased from 17% to 91%. The target coverage
in the Region for timely birth dose vaccination is 95%.
• Maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination has been achieved in 35 of the 37 countries and areas in the Western Pacific
Region, significantly reducing the danger of tetanus infection during childbirth and early infancy.
• Recent increases in the availability of Japanese encephalitis vaccines provide the opportunity to accelerate control
of this devastating disease. Japanese encephalitis affects an estimated 67 900 people a year in the Western Pacific.
• An estimated 97% of infants in the Region have been fully vaccinated with diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine.
Persisting challenges
Despite improvements in global vaccine coverage, regional and local disparities remain. These are caused by limited
resources, competing health priorities, poor management of health systems, and inadequate monitoring and supervision.
Further efforts are needed to ensure that all people in the Region are protected from vaccine-preventable diseases. It
is, therefore, vital that routine immunization be strengthened, especially in countries with the highest number of
unvaccinated or incompletely-vaccinated children. Closing immunization gaps will help substantially reduce the number of
susceptible children worldwide and limit the occurrence and spread of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases.
WHO response
The Regional Framework for Implementation of the Global Vaccine Action Plan (GVAP) in the Western Pacific has been developed to translate the strategies and activities recommended by the GVAP into the context of the Western
Pacific Region.
The regional framework will support Member States in implementing GVAP by consolidating all regional and global
immunization goals, describing priority actions appropriate for the Region. The regional framework will also highlight
strategies essential to achieve the goals and strengthen immunization programmes in the Western Pacific.
The regional immunization goals are: (1) sustaining polio-free status; (2) maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination;
(3) measles elimination; (4) accelerated control of hepatitis B; (5) rubella elimination; (6) accelerated control of
Japanese encephalitis; (7) meeting regional vaccination coverage targets; and (8) evidence-based introduction of new
vaccines.
"Investing in prevention costs less than responding to outbreaks," said Dr Shin. "Immunization is one of the most
cost-effective ways to prevent diseases. Therefore, families must ensure that they are all fully immunized."
Related links:
World Immunization Week 2015
Fact sheet: Immunization coverage
Global Vaccine Action Plan
Decade of Vaccines—Global Vaccine Action Plan 2011-2020
The immunization programme that saved millions of lives
ENDS