World Immunization Week – The key to a healthy life: Vaccination
The “World Immunization Week”, celebrated annually in the week of April 24-30, aims to raise awareness for immunization against vaccine preventable diseases and to encourage preventive vaccination.
Vaccination, key to a healthy life for every living thing, is one of the most effective methods of protection against diseases.
A Brief History of Vaccines
Vaccines have prevented many diseases that had caused epidemics and deaths throughout the human history.
The vaccination journey, that began back in 1796 when Edward Jenner found the smallpox vaccine, is one of the global achievements in the history of medicine. In particular, smallpox, which caused an epidemic between 1924 and 1944, was eradicated in 1977 thanks to vaccination studies.
Millions of deaths are prevented every year through vaccination.
The Importance of Vaccines and Vaccination
Vaccination is one of the global achievements in the history of medicine. Thanks to vaccination studies and vaccination practices all over the world, many epidemics and fatal diseases of the past have been prevented.
The main function of vaccines and vaccination is to immunise humans and animals of all ages against potential diseases. Preventive vaccination is one of the most important practices in terms of cost and reliability in the fight against epidemic diseases, as well as for the protection of human and animal health.
Veterinary vaccination is an integral part of One Health planning.
One Health: Vaccine for All, Long Life for All
In order to reduce the devastating effects of zoonotic diseases on public health, veterinary and human medicine should work on a common ground.
Protection of animals against epidemic diseases and ensuring their welfare are also of great importance in protecting public health.
While vaccinated healthy livestock form the first link of the chain to obtain safe food, vaccinated pets also ensure the health of people they are in close contact with. Veterinary vaccination plays an important role for “One Health” as an integral part of all health plans against diseases
Happy World Immunization Week!
