Ritika Pratap 
Permanent Secretary for Health Dr Jemesa Tudravu [Source: MOHS/ Facebook]
Permanent Secretary for Health Dr Jemesa Tudravu says the Pacific Immunization Managers Meeting aims to revitalize immunization efforts, enhance disease surveillance, and tackle vaccine hesitancy.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the World Health Organization’s Expanded Program on Immunization and the 20th anniversary of the Managers Meeting.
Speaking at the meeting, Dr Jemesa highlighted the “Healthy Islands” vision, aimed at promoting health and well-being within Pacific communities.
[Source: MOHS/ Facebook]
He adds that in light of recent public health challenges such as measles outbreaks and the COVID-19 pandemic, this meeting is crucial.
Dr Jemesa says key discussions during the meeting will be on achieving a 95 percent vaccination coverage target and adopting the Pacific Implementation Framework for Immunization 2030.
The meeting also acknowledges the valuable support from WHO and UNICEF and encourages active participation from all attendees, to make a lasting impact on public health in the Pacific region.
UNICEF Representative for Pacific Island Countries, Jonathan Veitch, says global immunization efforts have saved approximately 154 million lives, including over 100 million infants, significantly reducing deaths from diseases like diphtheria and measles.
However, he pointed out that childhood immunization efforts stalled in 2023, resulting in 2.7 million more children being unvaccinated compared to before the pandemic.
