Semaine européenne de la vaccination 2008

During EIW 2008, 32 Member States – more than half of the Region – participated in the initiative on 21–27 April 2008.

The range of activities across the Region varied widely, from public awareness events that included concerts, exhibitions, musical campaigns and information campaigns, to the presentation of new immunization guidelines, the introduction of new vaccines and/or vaccination schedules, and preparations for supplementary immunizations campaigns. Outreach activities included door-to-door visits to check immunization status and advocate for immunization, as well as actual vaccinations.

Although the incidence of measles cases in the Region has dropped more than 90% in the last decade, measles remain an important issue, and several countries focused their activities on measles elimination. Other targeted diseases during the week included diphtheria, rubella and polio.

With the activities, countries aimed to reach many different target groups. Several countries held workshops for health professionals, while others engaged politicians and other key policy-makers through initiatives such as parliamentary seminars and round table discussions. In other instances, parents, teachers and young adolescents were targeted. But less traditional target groups were also addressed, including the military and religious leaders. A number of countries chose to focus on hard-to-reach groups, such as migrant and minority communities.

A great deal of press attention for EIW was generated through press conferences, interviews and organized TV and radio broadcasts about EIW. Some countries actually targeted the media with their EIW activities through activities such as writing contests.

As part of the Week, Dr Marc Danzon, Regional Director for Europe, hosted Her Royal Highness (HRH) Crown Princess Mary of Denmark (patron of the Regional Office) in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on 23 April 2008 at a launching ceremony on behalf of all participating countries. Together with the First Lady of Slovenia, Mrs Barbara Miklic Turk, they addressed members of the diplomatic corps, health professionals and the mass media about the importance of immunization in the WHO European Region and European Immunization Week.

The following Member States participated in EIW 2008: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Tajikistan, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Kingdom and Uzbekistan.

EIW 2008 took coincided with its sister initiative, Vaccination Week in the Americas (VWA), coordinated by the Regional Office for the Americas (PAHO).