It is imperative that every child, adolescent and pregnant woman in South-East Asia receives life-saving benefits vaccines provide, WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh said on the occasion of World Immunization Week.

Whether to maintain the Region’s polio-free status and protect against the resurgence of maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNT); to achieve the region-wide quest to eliminate measles; or to control ongoing challenges such as rubella, diphtheria, hepatitis B or human papillomavirus, immunization is the most cost-effective way to protect individuals, communities and countries against a range of life-threatening and disabling diseases, she said. But to leverage vaccines’ full, life-saving potential, every child, adolescent and pregnant woman must be reached and the highest possible coverage attained, Dr Poonam said.

To that end, region-wide progress has been substantial. At present, seven member countries’ routine immunization programmes have achieved more than 90 per cent coverage with three doses of the basic diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccine. Almost half have achieved 95 per cent coverage of both doses of measles-containing vaccine, she said. These are significant achievements. Region-wise, each member country should ensure all vaccines reach at least 90 per cent of the population at all times. Doing so will save countless lives, achieve

Herd immunity against vaccine-preventable diseases, and ensure newly introduced vaccines have optimal impact, Dr Poonam said. WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia said there are several ways to achieve this target. First, each Member country should make immunization a national priority and secure sustained, high-level political commitment to strengthening national immunization programmes. Second, individuals and communities should be given the means to fully comprehend the value of vaccines and appreciate that immunization is both their right and responsibility.

Third, sustainable financing models should be developed to support national immunization programmes, leveraging partnerships at the national, regional and global levels. And fourth, Member countries should increase their research capacity, with particular focus on increasing coverage and equity and evaluating the effectiveness of different delivery, supply and communication strategies, she said.