(Bandar Seri Begawan, 28th) Brunei, together with other World Health Organization member countries, celebrates World Immunization Week every year from April 24 to 30, aiming to remind people of the importance of vaccines in protecting people of all ages from vaccine-preventable diseases.
This year's theme for World Immunization Week is “Vaccines for Every Generation,” emphasizing the vital role of vaccines in protecting people at every stage of life, from infants to the elderly.
In conjunction with the celebration of World Immunization Week, Minister of Health Dato Isham issued a statement.
Vaccination is one of the most important and cost-effective public health interventions to prevent vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, polio, diphtheria, and pertussis.
Over the past 50 years, vaccines have saved more than 150 million lives—which is not accidental, but the result of people choosing to protect themselves, their families, and their communities. This impact is equivalent to saving six lives every minute, every day, over the past 50 years. The dedication of each family in vaccinating their children, the commitment of healthcare workers to ensure every child is immunized, and the steadfast resolve of national leadership have increased infant survival rates by 40% and protected tens of millions of children from lifelong disabilities over the past five decades.
In Brunei, all citizens and residents can access vaccination services provided by the government of His Majesty the Sultan through the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) under the Ministry of Health.
Brunei's EPI provides comprehensive, safe, and effective vaccines covering 12 vaccine-preventable diseases. Through maternal and child health clinics, school health services, and community vaccination services, Brunei offers vaccines to all citizens and residents, successfully maintaining over 95% childhood immunization coverage in the past ten years. This has helped control and eliminate vaccine-preventable diseases in the country, such as measles, rubella, and polio.
Additionally, the introduction of the pertussis vaccine for pregnant women in November 2024, and the inclusion of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) for infants in the national EPI in February 2025, further highlight the Brunei government's commitment to protecting the health and well-being of its people. The results of the National Expanded Programme on Immunization have also enabled Brunei to become one of the countries to declare the elimination of polio, measles, and rubella in the past twenty years.
Despite Brunei's significant progress in achieving immunization, the Ministry of Health continues to encourage all parents, guardians, and individuals to ensure they always follow the vaccination schedule provided by clinics. This is crucial in preventing the re-emergence of diseases that remain threats globally, especially in the context of global conflicts and population displacement.
Upholding the Ministry of Health's theme of "effective vaccines for every generation," Brunei will continue its commitment to protecting national health through strong and sustainable immunization programs. By ensuring high coverage and equitable access, Brunei will continue to protect current and future generations from vaccine-preventable diseases.
This year's theme for World Immunization Week is “Vaccines for Every Generation,” emphasizing the vital role of vaccines in protecting people at every stage of life, from infants to the elderly.
In conjunction with the celebration of World Immunization Week, Minister of Health Dato Isham issued a statement.
Over the past 50 years, vaccines have saved more than 150 million lives—which is not accidental, but the result of people choosing to protect themselves, their families, and their communities. This impact is equivalent to saving six lives every minute, every day, over the past 50 years. The dedication of each family in vaccinating their children, the commitment of healthcare workers to ensure every child is immunized, and the steadfast resolve of national leadership have increased infant survival rates by 40% and protected tens of millions of children from lifelong disabilities over the past five decades.
In Brunei, all citizens and residents can access vaccination services provided by the government of His Majesty the Sultan through the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) under the Ministry of Health.
Brunei's EPI provides comprehensive, safe, and effective vaccines covering 12 vaccine-preventable diseases. Through maternal and child health clinics, school health services, and community vaccination services, Brunei offers vaccines to all citizens and residents, successfully maintaining over 95% childhood immunization coverage in the past ten years. This has helped control and eliminate vaccine-preventable diseases in the country, such as measles, rubella, and polio.
Additionally, the introduction of the pertussis vaccine for pregnant women in November 2024, and the inclusion of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) for infants in the national EPI in February 2025, further highlight the Brunei government's commitment to protecting the health and well-being of its people. The results of the National Expanded Programme on Immunization have also enabled Brunei to become one of the countries to declare the elimination of polio, measles, and rubella in the past twenty years.
Despite Brunei's significant progress in achieving immunization, the Ministry of Health continues to encourage all parents, guardians, and individuals to ensure they always follow the vaccination schedule provided by clinics. This is crucial in preventing the re-emergence of diseases that remain threats globally, especially in the context of global conflicts and population displacement.
Upholding the Ministry of Health's theme of "effective vaccines for every generation," Brunei will continue its commitment to protecting national health through strong and sustainable immunization programs. By ensuring high coverage and equitable access, Brunei will continue to protect current and future generations from vaccine-preventable diseases.