At the start of European Immunization Week (EIW), North Macedonia’s Ministry of Health, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and WHO are highlighting vaccination as a public good that underpins our society, protects health and saves lives. With the theme “Vaccines bring us closer”, this year’s EIW showcases the role vaccines play in preventing the spread of many diseases.
Through observing EIW in North Macedonia this year, the Ministry of Health and partners aim to raise awareness of the value of immunization. They are highlighting the importance of maintaining routine vaccination and building the public’s confidence in the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines for protecting the health workforce and helping to end the pandemic.
“Public health and social measures help slow down the spread of the virus, but COVID-19 vaccination is a vital tool to end the pandemic and we are making every effort to get vaccines for the entire population,” said Dr Venko Filipche, North Macedonian Minister of Health.
“Throughout the outbreak, we have made specific efforts to balance maintaining essential immunization services at all ages with making the most of the current national expertise, resources and our good track record in vaccination to ensure readiness and delivery of COVID-19 vaccination in a safe way. Immunization efforts have included working in partnership with UNICEF and WHO on the development of the national COVID-19 vaccination plan, and overcoming supply, storage and logistics challenges so that a functional supply chain, trained health workers and vaccinators are readily in place,” Dr Filipche added.
“Immunization is a flagship initiative of the WHO European Programme of Work 2020–2025 – ‘United Action for Better Health in Europe’,” explained Dr Jihane Tawilah, WHO Representative to North Macedonia. “As one of the most proven, cost-effective means of protecting health, immunization should benefit everyone, everywhere. Vaccines are a collective public good, for which access and benefits should be shared by all equitably. If routine immunization is neglected because of COVID-19, the impact will be felt long after the pandemic is over.”
Dr Tawilah pointed to the importance of high vaccination coverage: “After years of effort to ensure everyone is protected through vaccination, we are getting closer to eliminating a number of diseases such as measles, but to protect this progress, high coverage with routine vaccination must be maintained at all costs. Vaccination is a critical intervention to help end the COVID-19 pandemic so that we can finally be closer to each other again.”
Ms Patrizia DiGiovanni, UNICEF Representative to North Macedonia, echoed this point: “After a year of lockdowns, empty classrooms and cancelled family gatherings, people all over the world are starting to get a COVID-19 vaccine or awaiting the moment when they will. We all know COVID-19 vaccines are the best hope we have of resuming our normal lives and bringing us closer. It’s also an important reminder of the critical role that other vaccines – including routine vaccines for children – play in allowing us to live our everyday lives.”
Ms DiGiovanni added, “COVID-19 has disrupted many services, and while we see a reduction in demand for services delivered to children on diagnostics, treatment of chronic illnesses and primary health care – due to parents fearing that children will contract COVID-19 – it is promising that the demand and delivery of routine vaccinations for children have remained unaffected to a large extent.”
Misinformation and disinformation can induce vaccine hesitancy and hinder an effective vaccination response to the pandemic. In the fight against COVID-19, partners are also calling for greater engagement to ensure access to information and advice from trusted sources.
Open and objective communications help people make informed decisions and understand the importance of vaccination as the most effective means – together with measures such as contact tracing, physical distancing, mask-wearing and hand-washing – to end the pandemic.
UNICEF North Macedonia and WHO North Macedonia have adapted numerous resources to raise awareness about the importance of immunization in local languages. HealthBuddy+, an interactive digital tool, was recently launched in both the Macedonian and Albanian languages. The application provides access to up-to-date, evidence-based, tailored information on COVID-19, including vaccination. See the links below for more information.