(The Canadian Press)

By paNOW Staff

IMMUNIZATION AWARENESS WEEK

Children, First Nations are key focus of Immunization Awareness Week in Sask.

Apr 25, 2023 | 4:00 PM

From now until Sunday, the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) will be stressing the importance of vaccines during National Immunization Awareness Week.

The key messages for this week are the importance of immunization for First Nations communities and for children.

Dr. Namdi Ndbuka is with the Northern Inter-Tribal Health Authority (NITHA) and said immunizations have been used for years to prevent major diseases like measles, polio, and ptosis.

“This is a time that we want to highlight the importance of getting infants and young children vaccinated. We want to highlight the importance of vaccinations and staying up to date.”

As part of the campaign for the week, Ndbuka said they are raising awareness by communicating directly with First Nations band offices, businesses, radio stations and through social media.

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This year’s Immunization Awareness Week comes at a time when anti-vaccine rhetoric, especially with the COVID-19 vaccines, continues to grow. Ndbuka said he has heard all those concerns and believes many people are being misinformed.

“We have heard all of those myths in terms of vaccines not working, not effective but the fact remains that vaccines are important,” he said.

“Fully immunized children are less likely to get sick and spread the disease to those who are too young or to be immunized or immunocompromised.”

He added the events of the last three years during the pandemic highlighted the importance of vaccines not just to individual health but the entire health system.

“We have seen how it has played a critical role in getting us to where we are today,” he said. “Vaccines are safe and they’re effective. It can prevent diseases; it can help reduce the risk of spread between persons and within communities.”

In the end, he said vaccines won’t just protect the person but others in the community, especially children who are either immunocompromised, too young for vaccines, or are allergic to substances in the vaccine.

National Immunization Awareness Week runs from now until April 30.

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panews@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @princealbertnow