REMINDER MEDIA ADVISORY: Embargoed Joint WHO, Gavi and UNICEF press conference for World Immunization Week - Thursday, 23 April 2026 at 14.00 CEST/12.00 GMT

No images? Click here Thursday, 23 April 2026 REMINDER MEDIA ADVISORY Embargoed until 24 April 2026 00:01 GMT / 02:01 CEST Embargoed Joint WHO, Gavi and UNICEF press conference for World Immunization Week  When: Thursday, 23 April 2026 at 14.00 CEST/12.00 GMT  Subject: Progress on the Big Catch-Up to address declines in immunization coverage At the start of World Immunization Week, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF and WHO will announce process on the Big Catch-Up, a historic, multi-year, multi-country effort launched in 2023 to close immunity gaps and strengthened health systems to reach un- and under-vaccinated children.  The 36 participating countries across Africa and Asia account for 60% of children missing out on any vaccination – so-called zero-dose children. Pandemic-related immunization programme disruptions exacerbated this issue, adding millions more zero-dose children to those who already chronically miss out. To address this issue, the Big Catch-Up looked beyond infant immunization and for the first-time ever made deep inroads into the accumulated global cohort of older children between the ages of 1 to 5 who remain vulnerable due to missed routine vaccinations. Outcomes of the initiative as well as global immunization efforts will be discussed at the press conference. Speakers: Dr Sania Nishtar, Chief Executive Officer of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance Dr Kate O’Brien, Director, Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals, WHO Dr Ephrem T Lemango, Associate Director for Health, and Global Chief of Immunization at UNICEF Join by Zoom: ·         Link: https://who.zoom.us/j/97675746628 ·         Password: VPC23@pr!l Join by phone: International numbers available: https://who.zoom.us/u/acuNiL5uFt   Webinar ID: 976 7574 6628 Passcode for phone access: 0516235104 Notes to journalists: Please enter your name and media outlet (use name/outlet) in your Zoom profile and ensure your microphone is connected and active on your computer. When you sign in, you will be automatically put in the meeting room. Click "raise hand" if you wish to ask a question (the icon can be found under the tab: participants); this will enter you into the queue for questions. Please note that only questions from the media are allowed during the press conference. Media contacts: mediainquiries@who.int   You are receiving this NO-REPLY email because you are included on a WHO mail list. If you have been forwarded this update you can click here to subscribe. Journalists may send feedback to WHO Media Team         Share    Tweet    Share    Forward  World Health Organization, Avenue Appia 20, 1202 Geneva 27, Switzerland  Unsubscribe