Vaccination Week in the Americas: Past Campaigns

Between April 25 and May 2, 2020, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and its partners will celebrate the 18th annual Vaccination Week in the Americas with the slogan “Love. Trust. Protect. #GetVax.” This year’s campaign wants to bring to mind the love people have for their children, themselves, and their communities; the trust in vaccines´ ability to save lives; and the protection they provide from diseases for everyone, everywhere.

From April 20 to 27, 2019, the Region of the Americas celebrated its 17th annual VWA, and the 8th World Immunization Week. The 2019 Regional slogan was "Protect your community. Do your part. #GetVax". 45 countries and territories participated, vaccinating over 65 million people.

The 16th celebration of Vaccination Week in the Americas (VWA) took place on April 21-28, 2018. The Region of the Americas celebrated the 2018 VWA campaign with a soccer theme in honor of the 2018 World Cup. The campaign slogan “Strengthen your defense! #GetVax #VaccinesWork” links strengthening defense on the soccer team with strengthening the body’s defense to vaccine-preventable diseases through vaccination.

2017 marked the 15th Vaccination Week in the Americas with a recognition of the many achievements the Region of the Americas could celebrate thanks to vaccination. The Slogan "#GetVax to celebrate a healthier future" invites people to help maintain the achievements and support a future free of disease.

The 14th celebration of Vaccination Week in the Americas (VWA) took place on 23–30 April 2016 with the regional slogan: “Vaccination: Go for the gold!”. The campaign was framed in the context of the Olimpic games. Gold medal Jamaican athlete and fastest man in the world Usain Bolt lent his image to the campaign.

The 13th celebration of Vaccination Week in the Americas (VWA) took place from 25 April – 2 May 2015 with the regional slogan: “Vaccination: Boost your Power!”. This campaign focused on vaccination boosting our immune system and help fight more than 20 vaccine-preventable diseases, turning people into superheroes with special powers to defeat illness.

The 12th celebration of Vaccination Week in the Americas (VWA) took place from 26 April – 3 May 2014 with the regional slogan: “Vaccination: Your best shot.” This slogan was chosen to encourage people to protect themselves and the Region against the importation of polio, measles, and other vaccine-preventable diseases, in the context of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

April 2013 marked the 11th celebration of VWA and the second anniversary of World Immunization Week (WIW). The regional slogan was: “Vaccination: A Shared Responsibility,” chosen to highlight that each person has a role to play in fighting vaccine-preventable diseases. Events were held in the majority of countries throughout the Region. Many of these celebrations included the participation of both high-level authorities and local leaders. Two celebrations served as the official regional VWA 2013 launches, one at the Adjacency Zone between Belize and Guatemala on April 24th and the second in Port-au-Prince, Haiti on April 27th.

The 10th VWA was celebrated from 21-28 April in conjunction with the first-ever World Immunization Week (WIW), under the respective themes of “For you, for me, for everyone. Get vaccinated” and “Protect your world, get vaccinated.” Many celebrations were held across the Americas, including in Colombia, Haiti, El Salvador, Honduras, and Barbados. Across the Region, more than 45 million people were vaccinated under the framework of VWA 2012. In May 2012, the future celebration of WIW was endorsed through a resolution during the World Health Assembly. WIW will complement and unify the unique vaccination week initiatives in all WHO Regions.

The ninth annual VWA was celebrated from 23-30 April 2011 across the countries and territories of the Americas under the slogan “Vaccinate your family, protect your community.” Regional launching events were organized throughout the Amazon sub-region, and between Peru and Bolivia in the Altiplano. In 2011, the African and Western Pacific WHO Regions celebrated their first-ever vaccination week initiatives, joining in this growing global effort!

The eighth VWA was celebrated under the slogan of “reaching everyone”. Regional events were held in multiple locations, including Nicaragua, the Haiti/Dominican Republic and the Suriname/French Guiana border. The latter was the first-ever bi-Regional launching event, linking both VWA and EIW. In 2010, the Eastern Mediterranean (EMRO) Region of WHO celebrated its first-ever Vaccination Week in the Eastern Mediterranean (VWEM) and counted on 100% participation of the countries in that region.

The seventh annual VWA emphasized the importance of family vaccination as well as the vaccination of health workers. Multiple launching events were held throughout the Region, including a series of events in the South American Chaco, the border area shared by Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay and one of the transnational priority areas as identified by the Pan American Alliance for Nutrition and Development.

The sixth annual VWA involved the participation of 45 countries and territories in the Region. Multiple VWA launching events took place along bi-national and tri-national borders throughout the Region with the participation of high-ranking authorities. Diverse vaccination campaigns took place as part of the week, including multiple measles/rubella elimination campaigns, focused primarily in Central America. More than 59 million individuals were vaccinated through such efforts.

Forty-five countries and territories participated in Vaccination Week in the Americas 2007, the highest total thus far in the history of the initiative. More than 47 million individuals were vaccinated as a result of the week’s initiatives which worked to strengthen border coordination, reach isolated populations, strengthen routine programs and advance the control of yellow fever and hepatitis B, among other goals.

In its fourth year, VWA activities highlighted the transition from child to family immunization programs, the strengthening of regular immunization programs, influenza, rubella elimination and the introduction of new vaccines. Over 49 million people were vaccinated during the 2006 campaign.

The third VWA emphasized the vaccination of indigenous peoples and older adults, rubella elimination campaigns, the strengthening of regular immunization programs and the introduction of new vaccines. Under the umbrella of the initiative, more than 38 million people were vaccinated in the Region. Drawing inspiration from the activities in the Americas, European Immunization Week (EIW) was launched in October 2005 and focused primarily on social communication activities.

Twenty-three countries participated in the second annual VWA. The regional focus of VWA 2004 consisted of follow-up campaigns against measles, elimination of rubella and CRS, and the vaccination of older adults. Over 43 million people were vaccinated in the second year of the VWA campaign.

The first-ever VWA was held in June 2003. 19 countries participated in this pilot year and the Regional focus was on measles elimination. Across the Region, more than 16 million people were vaccinated. In September, Vaccination Week in the Americas was accepted as an annual, hemispheric initiative, by the Directing Council of the Pan American Health Organization, with the adoption of Resolution CD44.R1.