Immunisation is crucial for safeguarding health and preventing the spread of infectious diseases. It offers protection at individual, family, and community levels.
Why Immunisation Matters
Immunisation, also known as vaccination, is a simple, safe, and effective way of protecting you against harmful diseases, before you come into contact with them. It uses your body’s natural defenses to build resistance to specific infections and makes your immune system stronger.
Key Reasons for Immunisation
Here's a breakdown of the key reasons why immunisation is essential:
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Saves Lives: Immunisation is a life-saving medical intervention, preventing severe illness, disability, and death from vaccine-preventable diseases. The reference text explicitly states: Immunisation saves lives.
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Protects Individuals: Vaccines protect individuals from contracting diseases, reducing the risk of complications and long-term health problems. It protects you, your family and your community. This protection extends to all age groups.
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Protects Families: By immunising, you protect not only yourself but also your family members, especially those who may be too young or too ill to be vaccinated. This creates a "cocoon" of protection around vulnerable individuals.
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Protects Communities: High immunisation rates create herd immunity, which protects the entire community, including those who cannot be vaccinated. This is particularly important for protecting infants, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems.
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Eradicates Diseases: Immunisation programs have successfully eradicated or significantly reduced the incidence of many infectious diseases, such as smallpox and polio. Immunisation helps protect future generations by eradicating diseases.
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Prevents Outbreaks: Immunisation helps to prevent outbreaks of infectious diseases, which can overwhelm healthcare systems and disrupt communities.
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Protects Future Generations: Through widespread immunisation, future generations are protected from diseases that have been eradicated or controlled.
Many infectious diseases are rare or eradicated now as a result of immunisation programs, but new infectious diseases are appearing around the world.
The Impact of Immunisation Programs
The success of immunisation programs is evident in the dramatic decline in the incidence of many infectious diseases worldwide. For example, measles cases have decreased significantly due to widespread measles vaccination programs.
