Vaccination: A Pathway to Better Health in a Changing World
June 27, 2024
Vaccination has been crucial in increasing life expectancy and reducing disease burden. However, recent years have seen a slight drop in vaccination confidence. That’s why the Active Citizenship Network (ACN) brought this vital topic to the forefront of European policymakers.
On June 25th and 26th, euPrevent participated in an event organized by the ACN aimed at enhancing vaccination policy. The event brought together civil organizations and institutions from across Europe to discuss strategies for strengthening adult vaccination and engaging all stakeholders.
The WHO Regional Office for Europe’s Vaccination Policy team, Siddhartha Sanka Datta and Siff Malue Nielsen, shared their valuable insights with the participants. Experiences and best practices from different countries on vaccine promotion were also shared with the group.
In many countries, a national vaccination program for children is well established. However, when it comes to adult vaccination, misconceptions exist. Therefore, a few key points were emphasized:
- Immunization is a lifelong journey: It is essential for public health promotion and disease prevention.
- Tailored vaccination policies: These need to be region-specific and cater to local needs.
- Informed decisions: People should be provided with transparent information, explaining both the pros and cons of vaccination, rather than being compelled to get vaccinated.
- Facilitating vaccination: Governments and public health authorities should streamline vaccination processes to facilitate cross-border vaccination and ensure mutual recognition.
- Bottom-up management: Utilize local communities and civic organizations to promote participation in the vaccination process.
- Advancing vaccination equity: Bridge the gap between rich and poor, and address the needs of vulnerable groups who are often overlooked in immunization programs. The needs of border region populations also require coordinated actions by neighboring countries.