Collaboration, accomplished mainly through face-to-face planning sessions, informs the communication strategy. For example, in preparation for the first of the 2004 week-long events (April 24-30), participating countries (every country in the Americas) - outlined their plans and activities at a meeting held early in 2004 in Quito, Ecuador. Each country set out goals, deciding which antigens should be used and which areas should be targeted. The countries identified areas of high risk and exclusion as poor peri-urban areas, borders, indigenous regions, areas with displaced or isolated populations, and tourist areas. In addition to ending measles, several of the countries explained that their strategy would be shaped by efforts to end rubella, known as German measles.

Based on this discussion, most of the countries opted to conduct events in border areas. The majority of the countries planned to vaccinate children under 5, along with women of childbearing age and senior citizens. Many of the countries began planning launches, walks, and health fairs. In the Caribbean, for example, most countries set up committees to coordinate events. Radio spots were to be produced in indigenous languages and dialects for several countries, with materials targeted to address those living in specific areas. The United States and Canada announced that they would organise informational events seeking to increase the number of children who receive vaccinations against preventable illnesses. To cite one example, as part of the August 2004 Border Immunization Week (a continuation of the hemisphere-wide April vaccine drive), U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Richard Carmona held a news conference in San Diego, CA (USA) to encourage the public to participate in health fairs and community events designed to motivate them to "leave no child behind" when it came to vaccinating those living along the USA-Mexico border. In October 2004, sister cities in Mexico joined the immunisation effort as part of the Healthy Border 2010 programme.

Campaign themes tend to draw on people's concern for others. In 2003, participating countries rallied around the theme "Vaccination: An Act of Love." In 2004, the countries agreed to include the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) theme "Love Them, Protect Them, Immunize Them."

Immunisation and Vaccines.

Border areas are one focus of this initiative, as they tend to have lower coverage. For example, the USA-Mexico Border states have lower vaccination coverage, at an average of 70% for children under 3 years old, than national standards, according to the CDC.

VWA was first held in 2003. PAHO sent out radio and television spots, posters, and news releases to the media to promote the week. On-site evaluations indicated that most parents heard about the 2003 vaccination week on radio or television. Several entertainers, including TV celebrity Don Francisco, offered their time to promote the event. The idea originated in the Andean region when ministers of health agreed to boost declining vaccination rates. The initiative grew to include 19 countries, where some 15 million children were vaccinated. For more details about the 2003 event, including press releases, graphic material, videos, and stickers, click here. In 2004, the initiative was extended to all the region's countries.

A brief history:

• 2002 - Prompted by a measles outbreak in Venezuela and Colombia, the health ministers of countries in the Andean region proposed an annual VWA.
• 2003 - In September, VWA was accepted as an annual, hemispheric initiative by the Directing Council of PAHO.
• 2004 (April 24-30) - The focus of the second region-wide VWA consisted of follow-up campaigns against measles, elimination of rubella and congenital rubella syndrome (CRS), and the vaccination of older adults.
• 2005 (April 24-30) - The third VWA emphasised the vaccination of indigenous peoples and older adults, rubella elimination campaigns, the strengthening of regular immunisation programmes, and the introduction of new vaccines. Drawing inspiration from the activities in the Americas, European Immunization Week (EIW) launched in October 2005 - with a primary focus primarily on social communication activities.
• 2006 (April 22-29) - In its fourth year, VWA activities highlighted the transition from child to family immunisation programmes, the strengthening of regular immunisation programmes, influenza, rubella elimination, and the introduction of new vaccines.
• 2007 (April 21-28) - 45 countries and territories participated. More than 47 million individuals were vaccinated as a result of the week's initiatives, which worked to strengthen border coordination, reach isolated populations, strengthen routine programmes, and advance the control of yellow fever and hepatitis B, among other goals. More information on VWA's 2007 activities, and the final report can be found by clicking here.
• 2008 (April 19-26) - 45 countries and territories in the region again took part, with multiple VWA launching events along binational and trinational borders under the framework of a Health Caravan and with the participation of high-ranking authorities. Diverse arrays of vaccination campaigns took place as part of the week, including multiple measles/rubella elimination campaigns, focused primarily in Central America. More than 59 million individuals were vaccinated through such efforts. The final report of VWA 2008, which contains more information about realised campaigns and VWA social communication activities, can be found by clicking here.
• 2009 (April 25 - May 2) - The seventh annual VWA emphasised themes including the importance of family vaccination as well as the vaccination of health workers. Multiple launching events took place throughout the region, including a series of events in the South American Chaco, the border area shared by Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay and one of the transnational priority areas as identified by the Pan American Alliance for Nutrition and Development.