A week-long focus on vaccination issues

Friday,  April 22, 2005

From the 23 April the Cayman Islands will be joining in with the Pan American Health Organization’s (PAHO) Western Hemisphere’s celebration of Vaccination Week. The purpose is to increase immunization coverage in vulnerable groups, including women of childbearing age and the elderly, and to promote the benefits of immunization. Last year the countries of South and Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean vaccinated 43.7 million people, mostly children. 

The United States and Canada also participated by promoting the benefits of immunization, especially among children. 

The 2004 slogan, ‘Vaccination - An Act of Love: Love them, Protect them, Immunize them’, will again be used as this year’s slogan.

Joining the US and Canada in promoting the benefits of immunization, especially among children, Cayman’s Public Health Department will use the week to promote vaccination through newspaper articles, public service anouncements, and other media events. 

PAHO’s 35 member countries were the first to eradicate smallpox in 1973 and polio in 1991, and are now concentrating their efforts on the elimination of measles and rubella.

PAHO, established in 1902, is the world’s oldest public health organization, and works with all the countries of the Americas to improve the health and quality of life of the region’s people.

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