This year, for the first time, five of the six regions of the World Health Organization (WHO) will unite for the cause of immunization during the last week of April. The WHO European Region has recognized European Immunization Week (EIW) since 2005. In the six years since that pilot initiative, EIW has grown into one of the most visible annual public health events in the region—bringing together our 53 member states to boost awareness of immunization and strengthen national immunization programmes.

Ministries of health and other health agencies accomplish this by organizing conferences, round-tables, workshops, and trainings for health workers; events for the media; and even activities to teach children about the importance of vaccines. Immunization teams visit vulnerable populations and administer vaccines, while catch-up campaigns get children up to date on their vaccinations and protected against diseases such as polio and measles.

These important EIW activities happen thanks to the support of a range of partners, including associations of health professionals, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), civil society organizations, and international agencies such as UNICEF.

But EIW is not about simply focusing on immunization for one week in April—it’s about laying the foundation for a sustained commitment to achieving universal immunization. At its core, EIW is meant to celebrate the tremendous achievements that have been made to date, but also to motivate everyone from parents to health workers to high-level decision-makers to keep making immunization a priority in our region—and around the world.

Indeed, the momentum is spreading. While Vaccination Week in the Americas celebrates its ninth year in 2011, the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region launched its first initiative in 2010 and the WHO Western Pacific and African Regions will join this year. This progress makes the goal of a global immunization week seem well within reach, an exciting thought to contemplate. Thanks to the flexibility of these initiatives, regions and even countries can focus on their specific needs and challenges, while still joining together for the overarching cause of immunization.

After all, is there a better reason to unite the world for one short week on an annual basis?

Immunization is estimated to save between two and three million lives each year, and it’s one of the most cost-effective investments that can be made in public health. The world should stand together on immunization, and I hope to someday soon see a global immunization week emerge as a platform for this kind of cooperation and shared commitment. Until that day, we in the European Region will continue spreading the message of EIW: Prevent, protect, immunize.

Does your country recognize an immunization or vaccination week? If so, leave a comment and let us know how this initiative has impacted immunization awareness.