To mark World Health Organization (WHO)‘s European Immunisation Week 2024, FEAM, as a member of the Coalition for Vaccination, is calling on healthcare professionals to ensure children stay current with their routine vaccinations. This comes amid rising outbreaks of preventable diseases such as whooping cough, measles, and diphtheria in Europe, caused by declining vaccination rates.
This year’s European Immunization Week highlights the achievements of the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) over the past 50 years, which has protected millions from vaccine-preventable illnesses like tuberculosis, tetanus, and polio, but also Human
papillomaviruses (HPV) and Hepatitis B virus (HBV). However, recent outbreaks are a clear reminder of the risks of declining vaccine uptake.
The Coalition for Vaccination, co-chaired by by the European Federation of Nurses Associations (EFN), the Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME), and the Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union (PGEU), urges EU policymakers to keep vaccination high on the agenda and to fight misinformation. Healthcare professionals play a key role in promoting vaccine confidence by sharing accurate information and encouraging families to stay up-to-date with vaccinations.
Read the full press release.