European Immunization Week

European Immunization Week

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The European Immunization Week raises awareness of the need for community protection against diseases that can be prevented through vaccination.

This year headline “The big catch-up” truly reflects the action needed to be taken. SEEHN is collaborating with partners and its Member States to speed up the progress in their efforts to safeguard more people, especially children, from preventable diseases.

2023 is our chance to make up for the lost ground in critical immunization. We need to close a gap of around 10% variation in vaccination rates. It can be done through strengthening primary healthcare to better provide immunizations, restore essential immunization coverage to 2019 levels, and create long-lasting protection from diseases in communities and across the SEE region.

SEE Health Network – 22 years of Growing a Public Health Alliance in SEE region

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The genesis of the regional partnership – the South eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) started in 2000. Yet, one of the first preparatory meetings that set the SEEHN foundation was held in Sofia, Bulgaria, on 07-08 April 2001.

The Bulgarian Ministry of Health’s desire to assist the pressing necessity for a regional partnership hosted the first-ever multi-country meeting of the SEE countries. The process was supported and funded by the Council of Europe (COE). The fruitful discussions were targeted on methodological issues of the future network content, the assignment for each country to write a report for the next two months on its health situations, vulnerable populations, and on how mutual problems to be solved was accepted.

Three months later, at the end of June 2001 a second event of the SEE countries´ representatives was hosted by the COE in their official offices in Bucharest.

This meeting was based on the state reports carried out for the first time after the huge changes that had taken place in their health systems. The delegates defined common challenges and topics for the future regional cooperation and approved one project proposal for each of the represented SEE country.

It has to be noted with recognition that the event ended by defining and agreeing of the first ever principles for cooperation in health between the SEE states.

Two months later the first Ministerial Forum was held in Dubrovnik, Croatia, 31st August – 01st September 2001 that led to the SEEHN establishment. In addition, the history of a wide health partnership began in the SEE Region.