Geneva (VNA) – Vietnam’s permanent delegation inGeneva on September 20 organised an international seminar on promoting theright to immunisation, and delivered a joint statement co-sponsored by many countries on this topic within theframework of the 54th session of the United Nations HumanRights Council (UNHRC).

Vietnam, Brazil and the Global Alliance forVaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) jointly organised the seminar with the participationof representatives from the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Ambassador Le Thi Tuyet Mai, Vietnam’s PermanentRepresentative to the UN, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and otherinternational organisations in Geneva, highlighted Vietnam's policies andachievements in ensuring the right to vaccination, making an importantcontribution to promoting people's health and socio-economic development.

In addition to the efforts of the government and people,Ambassador Le Thi Tuyet Mai affirmed the importance of support and cooperationof the international community to help Vietnam gain achievements in expanded immunisation,especially the assistance of WHO, GAVI, COVAX - the equitable vaccinedistribution programme initiated by WHO for poor countries - and otherinternational partners.

Notably, Vietnam has achieved a COVID-19 vaccination rate ofnearly 100%, one of the highest in the world, contributing to effectivelycontrolling the pandemic, protecting people’s lives and maintaining economicgrowth during the pandemic and boosting post-pandemic recovery, Mai shared.

Representatives from Brazil, GAVI and WHO also stressed theimportance of vaccination, and vaccines in reducing health inequalities,improving educational outcomes and the enjoyment of other human rights.

In a general debate on human rights at the UNHRC’s 54th session, the Vietnamese diplomat delivered a joint statement on immunisation, which was co-sponsored by nearly 60 countries from all continents.

The statement emphasised that immunisation is a crucial part of the right to the highest attainable standard of physicaland mental health, and highlighted the importance of vaccines, vaccine multilateralism andmultilateral efforts, the role of the UNHRC to strengthening internationalsolidarity and cooperation to ensure ensure equitable, affordable, timely, and universal vaccine development, manufacturing, procurement, distribution, and vaccination for both routine programmes and health emergencies.

The statement also called on countries and stakeholdersto enhance solidarity and collaboration to promote the implementation of the WHO Immunization Agenda 2030, ensuring that everyone, everywhere, at every age fully benefits from vaccines to enjoy the right to the highest attainable standard of health, with priority given to demographic groups most vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases./.