A Tiny Prick Can Save Your Life: Say Yes to Immunization!

One of the greatest breakthroughs in modern medicine, vaccines and immunization are the best way to prevent infectious diseases. Around 2-3 million deaths are annually averted because of immunization.

World Immunization Week is observed between April 23 to April 30 to raise awareness on the importance of immunization. The theme for 2016 is “Close the immunization gap” which is a progress towards the idea of making everyone live a life free from vaccine preventable diseases.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 18.7 million children worldwide have not benefited from vaccination for preventable diseases.

Importance of Immunization

• Immunization prevents severe illness and death, especially in children. Most of these diseases have no medical treatments and can result in serious complications and even death.
• Vaccines and immunization can protect others you care about too, such as family members, friends, and grandparents.
• Immunization is the best way to protect those around you with impaired immune system and may not be able to get vaccinations.
• Immunization prevents an epidemic if exposure to a disease occurs in a community.

Why should you vaccinate your child?

• Quick, safe and extremely effective.
• Facilitates your child’s system to fight the disease better.
• Protects children from vaccine preventable diseases, such as measles, mumps, chicken pox, and several other diseases.
• Reduces your child’s risk to certain diseases.

Good to know facts:

1. Postpone vaccination when your child is ill or has a fever.
2. Do not get your child vaccinated when you have a confirmed allergy against a previous dose of the vaccine or an ingredient in it.
3. Vaccines don’t weaken or overload your child’s immune system.
4. You do not have to avoid or delay your baby’s vaccinations if he/ she had a premature birth.

Sources:

1. World Health Organization. Accessed Apr 22, 2016.
2. National Health Services. Accessed Apr 22, 2016.
3. HealthLink British Columbia. Accessed Apr 22, 2016.