AFRICAN UNION, ADDIS ABABA, 24 APRIL 2013: AIDS WATCH AFRICA (AWA) is an African Union High Level Advocacy and Accountability Platform to combat HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Africa. In January 2011, it was decided by the AU Assembly to revitalize AWA as an advocacy, resource mobilization and accountability platform of Heads of State and Government.

An outreach session was held last Tuesday 23 April 2013, within District 5 of Lome, a peripheral area of the capital city. “People have little access to the health center; that’s why we have got the vaccination services closer to them as per the spirit of the AVW”, explained Mrs TENA Kanma Nanah, Communications Officer at the Epidemiological Division, Ministry of Health. Present at the supervisory visit, officials from the Togo Ministry of Health Togo and WHO Colleagues. 

“All community members, mothers, fathers, siblings and caregivers should bring children for vaccination. This will ensure we reach every child in Tanzania. I congratulate the fathers and mothers who have brought their children for vaccination today.” This call was made by the First Lady Mama Salma Kikwete when she launched the Immunization Week.

The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis G. Sambo, representing WHO Director-General, Dr Margaret Chan, will arrive Addis, on Wednesday, 24 April 2013 with high level delegates including the WHO Assistant Director General – Dr Flavia Bustreo, and Cluster Directors from the WHO Regional Offices for Africa and the Eastern - Mediterranean. 

Commemoration of the African Vaccination Week and Child Health Days, Botswana

This year’s AVW focus in Botswana was to reduce the number of un-immunised children through reinforcing routine immunization.

To Commemorate African Vaccination Week and Child Health Days, additional support was provided to selected low performing districts during the period April 22- May 31, 2013. The districts selected were Gaborone, Kanye/Moshupa, Goodhope, Mahalapye and Okavango.

This year’s African Vaccination Week was commemorated together with the annual Child Health Promotion Week on the 23rd April, 2013 under the theme “Healthy Children; Great Future” with the slogan “Vaccinate, Prevent disabilities, Save lives”.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Ministry of Public Health in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners officially launched the African Vaccination Week (AVW) on Monday 22 April 2012 under the theme: “Save lives. Prevent disabilities. Vaccinate”.

The launching programme was held in ‘Hotel le Fleuve’ in Kinshasa. The press was strongly represented; more than 15 TV Channels, Radio and written press attended the launch as well as various national deputies and WR.

Friday 19 of April 2013, a press conference on the African Vaccination Week was held at the library of WHO, Yaoundé, Cameroun.

The press conference was organized to announce the third African Vaccination Week, which will be celebrated jointly with the Maternal and Child Nutrition Action Week (MCNAW) from 26 until 30  April in all ten regions of Cameroun.

Wednesday, 24th of April ANGOLA. A media conference was held on the third day of the African Vaccination Week in Angola to inform the national media on AVW activities in Angola.

The conference was organized into four sessions. The first session, in attendance of the National Director of Public Health, one Representative of the National Pediatrics Association, and WHO and UNICEF Representative in Angola and the WHO Official for Immunization, was directed to the main news channels of the National Radio of Angola.

The launch of the AVW was coupled with the polio NID’s and Child Survival Week and chaired by the Ministry of health accompanied by the WHO and Unicef Representatives, as well as civil societies (Rotary Club International and la Commission Polio Plus Bénin, Plan International Bénin, USAID, ROBS, etc.).

The launch was held on the23 of April 2013 at Toviklin in Couffo, department where cases of vaccine refusals have been registered during campaigns.