The Primary Health Care Department, Ministry of Health, Agriculture and Human Services joins the region in celebrating Vaccination Week in the Americas (VWA) 2015.
VWA began on May 30th, 2003 as an initiative taken by regional health authorities and heads of government to embark on an effort dedicating one week annually to heighten the focus on vaccination of vulnerable populations. The activities conducted during this week aids in strengthening a country’s national immunization programme. Vaccination week not only provide vulnerable groups with the opportunity to be vaccinated against vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs), but it also provides the opportunity to educate the public on the importance of vaccines.
Since its inception in 2003, more than 519 million persons regionally have been vaccinated. The Turks and Caicos Islands has been a part of this initiative since its inception in 2003 thus contributing to this figure. The theme for this year’s VWA is “Boost your power! Get vaccinated!” The theme focuses on the ability of the vaccine to boost the power of the immune system, offer protection against more than 20 different VPDs.
Vaccination week is being celebrated April 25th to May 2nd 2015. The TCI is focusing this year on all children age 6 months to 6 years. The department will be conducting a number of activities through-out the week in various communities across the TCI:
April 24th ………….. Vaccination activities in North Caicos
April 27th ………….. Health Matters Talk Show (pre-recorded) “The importance of vaccination”
Home visits in the Kew Town community (Provo)
April 28th ………….. Vaccination activities, Ona Glinton Primary (Grand Turk)
Home visits in the Five Cays community (Provo)
April 29th ………….. Home visits in the Bight community
Vaccination activities in E. L. Simons Primary (Grand Turk)
May 1st …………… Vaccination activities in the Blue Hills community
May 4th ……………….. Vaccination activities in Calvary Christian School and home visits (South Caicos)
Do your part in keeping the TCI VPD free by boosting our power and getting vaccinated!
