A chance for every child

~ t "' I 6 I ~ 0 0 _c "- a chance for · every c 16 Immunization offers the chance of a lifetime to children at risk from preventable childhood diseases. World Health Day, 7 April 1987, puts the spotlight on WHO's Expanded Programme on lmmunization-EPI Planet Earth can no longer accept that, in the age of modern tech- nology, children should still die by the millions from diseases which can be prevented by available vaccines. WHO's Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) - first estab- lished in 197 4- has as its goal to protect all the world's children against six killer diseases by the year 1990. Those diseases are: measles, poliomyelitis, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), neo- natal tetanus and tuberculosis . A sense of urgency pervades the Programme, since this year finds it only about half-way towards that goal . Acceleration requires inten- sive efforts of social mobilisation to make available the necessary health services, and to inform com- munities and individuals about the protection that vaccines confer. Health staff will need more training to ensure that they provide reliable services with minimal waiting time, and that they know how best to motivate mothers to return with their babies to the clinic or health centre until the immunization series is completed. World Health Day this year will be marked in countries all around the globe by public events, health education campaigns and media announcements focusing on the lifesaving function of EPI. Immunization truly represents a chance for every chi ld. But offering children the chance of a lifetime requires more than publicity alone. The real challenge is to change social norms so that it becomes unacceptable for any child to be denied the benefits of immuniz- ation. • W oRLD HEALTH , Jan./Feb. 1987 <f) ·;::; c Q) (/) ~ 0 I ~ 0 0 _c "- :hild ... "' . , c '" (f) W oRLD HEALTH, Jan./Feb. 1987 Above: The health worker delivers a life- saving "jab" to a baby in Kenya. Below: The refrigeration units used in the cold chain have to be well maintained. Left : Research for still more effective vaccines. Below: The menacing dis- eases remain, but the baby is safely out of their reach. Under the watchful eyes of the pa- rents, the primary health worker vacdnates the baby. Now it is safe from the six diseases . .. . .. provided the vacdnes have been constantly kept protected against high temperatures. Below: The health centre's refriger- ator-a vital part of the cold chain.