World Immunization Week 2022: Theme, History and Significance

Every year on March 16, India commemorates National Vaccination Day which is also known as National Immunization Day (NID). The first National Immunization Day was commemorated on March 16, 1995, when the first dose of Oral Polio Vaccine was administered.

History of World Immunization Week 2022:

Every year in January, India celebrates National Immunization Day to commemorate the commencement of the pulse polio programme. Since 1995, India has been conducting the Pulse Polio Program. The final incidence of wild polio in India was reported on January 13, 2011.

In 2012, India declared polio to be entirely eliminated.  In order to maintain the eradication, the Government of India runs Pulse Polio vaccination programmes in accordance with World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. The next National Immunization Day will take place on in the month of March.

World Immunization Week 2022 Theme

Each and every year, National Immunization Day highlights a different theme. This year’s theme is “Long Life for All”.

Significance of National Immunization Day 2022:

The National Immunization Day is one of the four approaches proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO) for entirely eradicating polio. The WHO recommends that the NID should be done twice a year, with a two-to-four-week break between them.

In the nation, there are two types of vaccines used. The first one is  IPV (Inactivated Polio Vaccine) and the second one is OPV (Oral Polio Vaccine).

The commemoration of National Vaccination Day is an effort to raise awareness about the need to eradicate polio from the globe. Millions of children get vaccinated or immunized against polio every year on National Immunization Day (NID).