Bhutan managed to continue providing routine immunisation services to ensure the health of mothers and children across the country amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The country achieved an immunisation coverage above 95 per cent in 2020 at par with the coverage it has sustained in the past decade.
According to a joint press release, as Bhutan joins the global community in observing the World Immunisation Week from April 24-30, the Ministry of Health, WHO and UNICEF are working together to ensure Bhutan continues to sustain high routine immunisation coverage and catch up where coverage has been affected.
The theme for this year’s world immunisation week is ‘Vaccines bring us closer.’
As per the release, Bhutan has managed to reduce the burden of various diseases especially those affecting infants and children through its strong vaccination programme over many years now. Its success with vaccination has resulted in WHO’s certification of Bhutan for various achievements such as sustaining polio-free status and the certification for the elimination of neonatal tetanus, measles, and control of Hepatitis B.
Bhutan’scurrent routine immunisation schedule protects children against 13 diseases.
