The following is a Vaccination Week message from Minister of Health, Mr. Gilbert McLean.
Recognising that disease prevention is the key to public health, and in support of this year’s Vaccination Week in the Americas, Cayman’s public health care providers will join health workers in countries across the Western Hemisphere in preparing for the largest immunization drive in the Americas coordinated by the Pan American Health Organization.
Worldwide, more than 30 million children are born annually, of which one in every four will not receive any immunizations. Through this neglect three million (3,000,000) of these children will die at some point in their lives from a vaccine-preventable disease.
With access to high quality health care and an immunization programme, Cayman’s children enjoy exceptional health, and we might feel as if we are living far from these grim statistics.
However we must remember that we are part of a world where intercontinental travel is an everyday occurrence, and infections that are still common in other parts of the world, for example polio and diphtheria, could easily spread when vaccination is neglected. Also, diseases that are currently rare could easily reappear, including measles, mumps, rubella and Hib. HiB.
Furthermore, immunization guards against common illnesses such as chickenpox and whooping cough and benefits everyone, protecting those who receive it as well as those around them, since diseases cannot spread if they never gain a foothold.
Infectious diseases cause enormous suffering and place a strain on health care systems therefore in the interest of preserving human and financial resources, it is always better to prevent a disease than to treat it.
The purpose of the annual Vaccination Week in the Americas is to increase immunization coverage in vulnerable groups, and this year’s theme, Love them, Protect them, Immunize them, highlights our responsibility to take special care of our children’s health needs. While some parents, reassured by the disappearance of many vaccine-preventable childhood diseases, may question the safety of immunization and subsequently delay or withhold vaccinating their children, I invite everyone to consider the following three facts from the World Health Organization:
1. Thirty new diseases have emerged over the last twenty years;
2. Each year, 17 million people, equivalent to the combined population of Switzerland and Belgium, die of infectious diseases;
3. The lack of immunizations alone results in the death of 8,000 children every day.
Vaccines and immunizations can be a complex issue and making the right decision for your children may feel like a daunting task. I therefore urge all parents to research and read about issues that affect their children’s health and discuss any concerns with their health care providers so they can make informed choices for their children’s futures.
Remember disease-acquired immunity can come at a high cost, while vaccines allow a person protection without risking the seriously adverse effects of illnesses. Give your children a lifetime of protection – have them immunized on time, every time.
Mr. McLean
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