Monday, April 24, 2017
By Hon Wendy C. Phipps, Minister of State with Responsibility for Health, Social Services, Community Development & Gender Affairs
The 15th Vaccination Week in the Americas (VWA) is being celebrated in the Americas1 from April 24-30, 2017, under the theme “GetVax to Celebrate a Healthy Tomorrow!” Our Federal Ministry of Health is advised by the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) that this year’s celebration of Vaccination Week in the Americas also coincides with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) 6th Anniversary of World Immunization Week.
As was the case with last year’s celebration of Vaccination Week in the Americas, this year’s campaign seeks to encourage the people of our Federation – and our region – to protect our health and that of our loved ones by getting vaccinated. The records of PAHO and the WHO indicate that over 25 diseases are vaccine-preventable and, as such, our global populations should actively seek out vaccination coverage as a means of remaining healthy and leading productive lives.
The Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis has had a long and positive history of health promotion and preservation through the administration of vaccines. Our national records point us to the 1800s as the start of this practice, when a smallpox vaccination campaign was carried out in our islands by the British settlers. More than a century later a total of 11 such vaccines are now routinely administered to our people as part of our Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) which was established in 1978.
These vaccines include Diphtheria, Pertussis (Whooping Cough), Tetanus, Hepatitis B, Oral Polio and BCG. Our Country’s current vaccine coverage now stands at an average of 97% of our target population. Plans are currently in motion to introduce vaccines against the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), and Influenza (among high risk populations such as health workers and persons with chronic conditions). However, it should be noted that our community healthcare workers routinely administer the Haemophilus Influenza Type B vaccine to prevent meningitis and pneumonia in children. This vaccine was introduced since 2000, to infants in three doses, i.e. at ages 2 months, 4 months and 6 months.
As we use this week to showcase the benefits of vaccination to the people of our Nation we should be reminded of some key facts about immunization:
- Vaccines save lives, and prevent illness and disability;
- Global vaccination coverage is holding steady, with 86% of the world’s children receiving the required three doses of Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis (DPT3) coverage;
- Vaccinations prevent an average of 2 to 3 million deaths per year from conditions such as Tetanus, Measles and Pertussis;
- An additional 1.5 million deaths could be avoided if global vaccination coverage improves;
- Some 19.4 million infants worldwide are not being treated with the most basic vaccines.
(However, it should be noted that this is a vast improvement from the WHO data for the year 2000, which reflected that almost 34 million children were not being vaccinated back then.)
The Federation’s successful immunization coverage has been due to several factors, including:
1) Sustained public confidence and support placed in our national immunization programme;
2) The solid foundation laid by committed, well-trained and professional public health nurses;
3) Strong and clear governmental support;
4) Reliable and strategic partnerships between public health care administrators, civil society, and international donor agencies such as PAHO and WHO; and 5) Continuing public education and awareness of our people on the benefits of vaccination.
It must be noted however, that in spite of our global successes in vaccination coverage, there are a number of challenges that must be hurdled in order to improve our international immunization record.
These include:
1) Strong health systems
2) Access to vaccines in all places at all times
3) Community involvement, and
4) Better access to immunization services for marginalized and displaced populations, such as migrants, refugees and indigent groups.
Yet, regardless of these difficulties, it is imperative that every effort is made to close the immunization gaps in order to achieve healthcare for all, as enshrined in both the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the successor Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
As such, here in St. Kitts and Nevis we must continue to do our part to
(a) encourage parents and guardians to vaccinate their infants and school-aged children;
(b) ensure that there is adequate governmental support to finance our national immunization programme;
(c) protect our citizens before they travel abroad to areas where certain diseases are prevalent; and
(d) protecting our borders by ensuring that minimum vaccination standards are maintained by travelers seeking to access our ports of entry.
These efforts must work in tandem with our personal practice of ensuring that
(a) our environment and neighbourhoods are safeguarded against vector-carrying organisms and insects;
(b) our water supply remains safe; and (c) our food security is given the highest priority.
A number of activities have been planned locally to celebrate Vaccination Week in the Americas.
These include the following:
- Training of Health Care Workers in various aspects of the Family Health Programme, including EPI surveillance and Regional and Global Indicators (Monday, April 24th & Tuesday, April 25th)
- Vaccination drive among high risk, Diabetic population – with booster dose against Diphtheria and Tetanus (DT) (Monday through Friday, April 24th - 28th)
- “Mop Up” campaign to get children in vaccination default to be brought up to date with the relevant immunization coverage. (Monday through Friday, April 24th - 28th)
- Completion of Agenda re: Hepatitis B vaccine to the adult population aged 25 years and older (Monday through Friday, April 24th - 28th)
- Communication activities highlighting the achievements of the Federation’s vaccination programme (Monday through Friday, April 24th - 28th)
I take this opportunity to urge all of our citizens and residents to support the various activities planned for the observance of Vaccination Week in the Americas 2017. The Ministries of Health in the Federation also encourage citizens and residents to feel empowered to freely access the services of our Federation’s 17 health centres, where our District Medical Officers (DMOs) and communitybased nurses would be happy to respond to your needs, and answer any health-related questions you may have.
As Minister of State with Responsibility for Health, Social Services, Community Development and Gender Affairs, I am pleased to declare Vaccination Week in the Americas 2017 officially open.
May God bless the people of St. Kitts and Nevis.
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