Raising public awareness of the importance of polio elimination, promoting routine vaccination and reaching zero-dose or under-vaccinated children: these are the main objectives of the photo exhibition « Humanly possible – vaccination for all ».
The official opening of this exhibition was held at Lapan’Andafiavaratra, under the patronage of the First Lady, Mialy Rajoelina, Godmother of Vaccination. She was accompanied by Professor Zely Arivelo Randriamantany, Minister of Public Health, and Christine Jaulmes, Representative of UNICEF Madagascar.
This exhibition, made up of around thirty photographs, highlights the heroic efforts of those who work to reach every child, even in the most remote areas of the country. The photos capture strong moments: the determination of health actors, the challenges faced by communities, and the often difficult conditions in which these vaccination campaigns are implemented.
A national commitment to vaccination
The exhibition is also part of the global campaign « Humanly possible »which calls on governments to make vaccination a priority and allocate the necessary funding. In Madagascar, the year 2024 was proclaimed “Year of Vaccination” by the President of the Republic, thus strengthening initiatives to protect every child against preventable diseases.
As Godmother of Vaccination, the First Lady has already demonstrated her commitment through several major actions, including the launch of campaigns to fight polio and the Great Catch-up, an operation dedicated to vaccinating non-immunized children under the age of five. years.
The Ministry of Public Health aims to increase routine vaccination coverage so that no child remains under-vaccinated and that all children receive all vaccines before their second birthday. This ambitious objective mobilizes many partners, including UNICEF, WHO, local authorities, civil society organizations, and traditional and religious leaders.
An essential fight against polio
Madagascar, certified as a country free of indigenous wild poliovirus in 2018, has nevertheless experienced a resurgence of epidemic outbreaks since September 2020. In response, four national vaccination campaigns against poliomyelitis were carried out in 2023 to stop the circulation of the virus and strengthen the collective immunity. Three additional campaigns were carried out in 2024, including one integrated into the fight against measles.
Despite these efforts, Madagascar remains one of the countries with the highest number of zero-dose children, with more than a million children under five years of age having received no vaccine between 2019 and 2023. Thanks to the activities of catch-up in 2024, several tens of thousands of them have already been vaccinated.
An exhibition accessible to all
After the opening, the exhibition will be open to the public, from November 20 to 22, 2024 at Tana Water Front Ambodivona, and from November 23 to 26, 2024 at La City Ivandry.
It will also be presented in other regions to reach an even wider audience and increase awareness of the importance of vaccination.
With this initiative, Madagascar reaffirms its commitment to guaranteeing the health and future of its children, while being part of a global dynamic for equitable access to vaccination.
