Collaboration between the Health System and Education is Essential for Vaccination Coverage

Abstract

The practice of immunization dates back hundreds of years.
Over the 18th and 19th centuries, systematic implementation of
mass smallpox immunization culminated in its global eradication
in 1979. The 20th century saw great successes at developing vaccines and reducing the burden of infectious diseases such as yellow
fever, hepatitis B and influenza.1
Despite the achieved success of vaccination, rumors
about vaccine/vaccination have long circulated or perpetuated in
communities. For instance, vaccination can cause autism2,3; mercury in vaccines acts as a neurotoxin3
; vaccines are a ruse to sterilize children4
; vaccines are contaminated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).4
In places where illiteracy is high and access to
information is limited, these rumors are hard to debunk such that
the populace is prone to accepting anti-vaccine “facts