Ministry of Health and Social Affairs launches campaign to promote childhood vaccination in Principality

copyright - Direction de la Communication / Manuel Vitali

To mark European Immunisation Week, promoted by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs is launching a public health campaign to raise awareness of vaccination in the Principality. 

Since 1 January 2018, vaccination against 11 infectious diseases has been mandatory in France. The principle behind vaccination is based on both individual and collective protection. It is all about prevention. Those who have been vaccinated help to protect those who have not: “It’s important to protect your children. We get vaccinated for our own benefit, but also to protect our children and loved ones who are too vulnerable to be immunised,” said Didier Gamerdinger. 

The WHO believes that immunisation coverage must extend to 95% of the population to ensure that vaccination provides effective protection against infectious diseases. A successful immunisation policy must therefore reach as many people as possible in order to protect the public and avoid any risk of an epidemic. 

It is for these reasons that on Monday 9 April, Minister Didier Gamerdinger was keen to launch a campaign focused on childhood vaccination.

Named I protect my child through vaccination, the campaign’s visual identity and explanatory leaflet set out the general recommendations on immunisation and the reasons why it is important to stay up-to-date with vaccinations: by doing so, you are ensuring protection for life. “The aim is to increase the number of children who are vaccinated and to protect them by preventing these diseases from being spread. It is a public health initiative,” said Didier Gamerdinger. 

Health insurance covers 80% of the cost of vaccinations, with the exception of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, which is fully covered if specifically indicated by the prescribing doctor on the prescription and provided that the child is under 17 years old. Vaccinations can be given by your doctor. 

This vaccination policy is being launched by the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs in close cooperation with partners in the Department of Health Affairs, the Monaco Screening Centre, and the Princess Grace Hospital Epidemiology and Hospital Hygiene Department and Paediatrics Department, which issue the required recommendations.

Contact:

Your general practitioner or paediatrician

Princess Grace Hospital Paediatrics Dept – Tel.: 97 98 95 47

Princess Grace Hospital Epidemiology & Hospital Hygiene Dept – Tel.: 04 92 41 67 95

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