HEALTH Minister Jenista Mhagama has called on Tanzanians to be at the forefront of ensuring that all children who are eligible for vaccination get it to protect them from various diseases.

Mhagama made the remarks yesterday in Tabora Region while launching the National Vaccination Week celebrations that go hand in hand with the slogan ‘Vaccination is Protection; Let’s unite to enable all targeted groups to be  vaccinated’.

She used the opportunity to direct vaccination service centres to continue serving all citizens who need health services, especially vaccination services.

“This celebration will be held along with the provision of all vaccinations, including the cervical cancer vaccine for nine year old girls and above which helps protect them against cervical cancer. So, for those girls who have not been vaccinated, it is advisable to take them for vaccination to protect them,” she said.

In addition, Mhagama said recent statistics show that for five consecutive years the national vaccination rate is more than 90 percent, making Tanzania one of the countries that are doing well in provision of vaccination services.

“This vaccination rate and other interventions have enabled the country to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (SDG 4) by reducing mortality rate of children under the age of five years,” she said.

Mhagama assured Tanzanians that the government in collaboration with the Global Vaccine Alliance (GAVI) has many strategies to ensure that health services, especially vaccination continue to improve.

She said the government has continued to strengthen the chain of vaccination care in health care facilities in the country.

Director of Nursing and Midwifery Services at the Ministry of Health, Ziada Sellah, who represented Chief Medical Officer, Dr Grace Magembe, said the purpose of the celebration is to bring together stakeholders and experts to discuss the best way to continue providing quality vaccination services in Tabora Region and the entire country.

"Another purpose of this celebration is to encourage and educate the society about the importance of vaccination in preventing diseases that can be prevented by vaccines, including cancers caused by HPV measles and rubella," she said

The World Health Organization (WHO) Resident Representative Dr Charles Sagoe-Moses, commended the decision made by government for Tabora Region to be the host of the launch of national vaccination day.

"WHO has continued to support the government in addressing the gap by providing vaccination assistance which targeted three districts: Kaliua, Sikonge and Uyui, which were mentioned to have a high number of zero doses; the campaign aimed to reach all villages and was done with great success" he said.