Value Of Vaccines

Vaccines are a unique class of medicinal product that provide protection against infectious diseases. Except for clean, safe drinking water, no human endeavour rival’s immunization in combating infectious diseases and reducing mortality rates.

We now have vaccines to prevent more than 20 life-threatening diseases and cancers helping people of all ages live longer, healthier lives. Immunization currently prevents 2-3 million deaths every year from diseases like diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, influenza and measles and there are new vaccines on the horizon with the potential to prevent even more.

Infectious diseases pose significant public health risk—they are often acute in onset, have limited treatment options and can result in death or significant morbidity in otherwise healthy populations.

Mass immunization programs have proven successful in controlling or even eliminating disease an example is smallpox, which is now a thing of the past and we are on the verge of eradicating polio as well.

Furthermore, due to the unpredictable incidence and risk of transmission, the cost of disease outbreak and management can be significant. We are often unaware of the impact that infectious diseases can have on ourselves and our loved ones. They can put us at risk of serious illness, which can lead to death.

Ongoing vaccination is a crucial cornerstone in keeping our communities healthy, especially when you consider that vaccines are often the best, if not, the only way to protect us from many serious infectious diseases at every stage of life.

Vaccines are unique in that they often provide benefits not just to the vaccinated individual but also indirect benefits to those who have not received the vaccine, or indeed cannot receive the vaccine due to age or health complications.

The value of successful immunisation programs is a reduction in disease transmission benefiting individuals, families, the broader community, and the economy.

Immunization has been a great public health success story
The lives of millions of children have been saved, millions have the chance of a longer healthier life, a greater chance to learn, to play, to read and write, to move around freely without suffering.

Nelson Mandela
Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, 1993