Vaccine hesitancy means delaying or refusing vaccination – even when vaccines are available. It's a big problem hurting public health worldwide. One in five children still don't get routine life-saving shots, leading to around 1.5 million preventable deaths each year. This shows the urgent need to tackle misinformation and make vaccines more accessible.
Lack of awareness and knowledge are key factors in vaccine hesitancy trends, especially in regions like Africa where access to healthcare and reliable information can be limited. Many communities don't know about available vaccines and their benefits. This, in turn, lowers immunization rates. Also, poor community engagement and inadequate public education lead to distrust in vaccines, making the problem worse.
At illuminAid, we're actively tackling these challenges with innovative educational initiatives. Our Video Education Workshops give staff members of our partners working in local communities the tools and knowledge to effectively share health information.
In April 2024, we hosted a Video Education Workshop (VEW) in Cameroon focused on malaria awareness and vaccine promotion. The workshop was designed to address the specific health challenges of the local community and highlight the importance of effective communication in raising awareness and promoting behavioral change. Through these workshops, we educate and empower communities to take charge of their health.
You can learn more about our efforts to combat vaccine hesitancy and promote public health efforts at illuminaid.org.
