Immunisation is one of the world’s most powerful tools in public health. We have vaccines to protect or immunise people of all ages against disease. Immunisation prevents illness, disability and death from vaccine-preventable diseases including cervical cancer, diphtheria, hepatitis B, measles, mumps, pertussis (whooping cough), pneumonia, polio, rubella and tetanus.
Immunisation currently averts an estimated two to three million deaths every year globally. Without vaccines, global eradication of smallpox and elimination of poliomyelitis from large parts of the world would have been impossible.
Malta is at the forefront in the success of its national vaccination programmes, with a decrease in many vaccine preventable diseases. Polio and diphtheria were eliminated from Malta during the last decades. The last reported case of polio was in 1964 and the last notified diphtheria case occurred in 1969.
Immunisation currently averts an estimated two to three million deaths every year globally
Furthermore, the World Health Organisation this year has once again declared that Malta has sustained the elimination status for measles and rubella. This status has been maintained through steady but hard-earned progress through good quality surveillance and ensuring high vaccination coverage. We cannot fall back in coverage rates as there are still a high number of countries that have not managed to reach this status and continue to be a threat of spread of disease.
In 2007, an advisory committee on immunisation policy (ACIP) was legally set up in Malta, resulting in various developments in the area of vaccination. This committee keeps abreast with the latest research in vaccine developments and advises on the vaccination programme for the Maltese islands.
The ACIP also issues guidelines on the safe use of vaccines and promotes understanding of the immunisation programme among healthcare professionals and the general public.
Vaccination uptake in Malta is very good for the scheduled vaccines for children up to 16 years of age. The vaccines on the free national schedule include those against diphtheria, tetanus, polio, Hib, pertussis, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, TB and HPV.
An electronic immunisation register is maintained to monitor individual schedules, measure uptake by cohort, follow up individuals with incomplete vaccination status and send recalls or invitation letters to specific people according to eligibility.
These actions are reflected in low prevalence of vaccine preventable diseases. However, we know that the threat from such diseases remains and the global movement is for further commitment to vaccination and ensuring vaccine coverage through equitable access to all.
Staying up-to-date on recommended vaccines, individuals can protect themselves and their family effectively from serious, life-threatening infections. Parents should ensure that their children’s vaccinations are up-to-date. Adults should also keep abreast with their vaccinations according to national recommendations.
The health authorities raise public awareness of how immunisation saves lives, encouraging people everywhere to vaccinate themselves and their children against deadly diseases.
Dr Charmaine Gauci is Superintendent of Public Health.