European Immunization Week 2025 united students of Yerevan State Medical University around the topic of the public health value of vaccination for the third consecutive year.
Lyudmila Niazyan, lecturer at YSMU and the lead of the first WHO “Immune Patrol” program in Armenia in 2023, emphasized the importance of continuing this initiative. She highlighted the significance of cooperation among universities, society, and schools within the framework of “Youth4Health” initiative, which promotes the development of evidence-based policies in the field of medicine & health, grounded in independent student research.
Notably, students from Vardanants Knights School No. 106, Chekhov School No. 55, and Petros Ghevondyan School of Proshyan also actively participated. After completing the online “Immune Patrol” academy, these young science enthusiasts presented their individual research projects through posters and presentations.
Students from various university departments also showcased their research on vaccine-preventable diseases and immunization. Some students chose to express the role and importance of health in society through art, incorporating unique approaches to convey public health messages.
By actively involving students in real public health scenarios, this initiative not only equips them with practical knowledge but also with a sense of responsibility and leadership in future healthcare professionals and decision-makers, empowering them to tackle public health challenges.
Health is deeply interconnected with politics and other sectors, making it a cornerstone of national security, economic resilience, and social stability.
According to a major global study, vaccination efforts over the past 50 years have saved approximately 154 million lives—equivalent to six lives every minute—with the vast majority (101 million) being newborns. The study, led by the World Health Organization, confirms that vaccination is the single most impactful health intervention, ensuring a safe and risk-free start to life not only in the first year but throughout the lifespan.
Among the vaccines included in the study, the measles vaccine had the greatest impact in reducing infant mortality, accounting for 60% of lives saved through vaccination. This vaccine is likely to remain one of the key tools in preventing deaths globally.
Over the past five decades, vaccines against 14 diseases—including diphtheria, Haemophilus influenzae type B, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, measles, meningitis A, pertussis, pneumococcal disease, polio, rotavirus, rubella, tetanus, tuberculosis, and yellow fever—have directly contributed to a 40% reduction in global infant mortality.
This year’s slogan of the European Immunization Week 2025, “Humanly Possible,” once again underscores the importance of early disease prevention, valuing health, and protecting it.