Statement by Laurette Onkelinx, Vice Prime Minister, Minister for Social Affairs and Public Health, Belgium

Semaine européenne de la vaccination 2011. UN House, Bruxelles, le mardi 26 avril 2011. Points d’intervention.

Madam,

Madam the Director,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a real pleasure for me to welcome you today in Belgium for this debate organized by the regional bureau of the World Health Organization in the framework of the Immunization Week 2011.

Recent measles outbreaks in Europe ask us to remain vigilant. It shows that fighting infectious diseases must last even when the threat has faded away, like in the case of polio in Europe. It also illustrates that immunization remains the best weapon to stop the progress of an infectious disease, to reduce it and finally eradicate it.

In the last few months, vaccinations have been at the centre of an animated debate, among others on the H1N1 virus. The efficacy of vaccination, their secondary effects, the commercial interest are some of the items that have been raised.

The mere principle of immunization has even been put into question by an increased number of people, be it through media, be it through petitions or even through the judicial system. We have just experienced this in Belgium where the compulsory character of immunization against polio has been jeopardized by a tribunal.

It is concerning. If polio has disappeared from Europe it is precisely thanks to the determination of former sanitary authorities which imposed immunization. And today, given the mobility of the population, we must remain more vigilant than ever.

Questions and inquiries from the public opinion are obviously understandable and useful. Nevertheless, in this field of immunization more than in others, reason must prevail not emotion. It is the guarantee for a useful, constructive and convincing debate.

We must therefore keep our trust in science. Smallpox has been eradicated from the world in ten years at the end of the last century. Vaccination saved millions of persons. Immunization allows us to eliminate fatal diseases. This is maybe one of the greatest achievements of modern medicine. Thanks to hard work of so many teams of research, this achievement gives now hope to eradicate AIDS or even Cancer. Public opinion and authorities must support those working in research programs.

We must also evaluate with professionals if our method are pertinent and whether information is adapted in order to manage efficiently immunization campaign on the ground. In Belgium, communities are competent except for compulsory immunization and pandemics which remain under federal competencies for obvious reason of efficiency. Representative of those Communities will explain their policies in the debate afterwards.

Efficiency of immunization means good coordination. Many epidemiologists insist on this point. We must improve international cooperation. We have done this during our recent EU presidency. We have drawn the lessons learned from the H1N1 pandemic. One of the more concrete conclusions was to establish a common mechanism at European level to buy vaccines. The European commission is currently working on this.

Finally, strong and dedicated mobilization is required. This event with the presence of Princess Mathilde will certainly contribute. I am convinced that the conclusions of this meeting will greatly help immunization campaign. These campaigns remain central for public health policies.

Thank you.