On 17 of April 2013, the Swaziland’s African Vaccination Week (AVW) team organized a workshop for media at the Happy Valley Hotel and Casino, Swaziland.

The main objective of the workshop was not only just to sensitize the journalist and media practitioners on the 2013 package of activities but also to enlist their unqualified support through publicity and advocacy reporting of AVW planned activities.

In attendance at the workshop were journalists from the Times of Swaziland, the Swazi Observer, the Nation Magazine, Channel S, Swazi TV, the Media Institute of Southern Africa, Swaziland Broadcasting and Information Services (SBIS) and The Voice of Church.

The acting EPI Programme Manager presented an overview and background of the African Vaccination Week including notes on the empirical evidence justifying the importance of immunization and the corresponding global achievements attained  through its use in the prevention of some deadly communicable children diseases.

A presentation on the role of the media in advancing the cause of AVW in country was outlined by Mr. Anson D. Zwane who is to coordinating the AVW 2013 national activities. He emphasized the overarching importance of partnering with national media practitioners as they shall serve to advocate, inform, and educate the entire populace on the AVW.

After a candid and frank discussion, on the perceived shortcomings of the EPI Programme with regard to the organization and structure of the 2013 AVW commemorations, the journalists pledged to support all the processes that should ensure a successful programme for the 2013 AVW commemoration.  

The Launch of Swaziland’s AVW is planned this Friday, 26th of April, in the presence of the Honorable Minister in the hard to reach Hhihho region.