Statement of support from HRH Crown Princess Mary of Denmark

This year, I will be supporting European Immunization Week not only in my capacity as Patron of the WHO Regional Office for Europe, but also as a mother of four. As a parent, I want to protect my children from as many risks as I can and, while I can’t keep them safe from everything, I can protect them from vaccine-preventable diseases. Immunization is estimated to prevent between 2 and 3 million deaths worldwide each year, making it one of the most successful – and most cost-effective – health investments in history. I would like to take this opportunity to encourage all countries in the Region to promote the central message of EIW: Prevent, protect and immunize. Immunization is a right and a collective responsibility. As the EIW 2011 theme states, we must come together to find “shared solutions to common threats”.