Kodjo Soroh, Pfizer’s Medical Director for sub-Saharan Africa has underscored the importance of vaccination in the prevention and controlling of diseases and viruses across the world.

In the expert view of Kodjo Soroh, vaccines play an integral role in the efforts of global health agencies to achieve health security.

The comments of Kodjo Soroh were captured in a release by global pharmaceutical firm, Pfizer to mark this year's World Immunization Week.

In the statement, Kojo Soroh highlighted Pfizer’s contribution to the development of vaccines to deal with disease and viral infections.

He observed that despite remarkable progress in efforts to eradicate certain diseases through vaccination, there still exists a great deal of work to rid the world of certain diseases and viruses.

He noted further that Pfizer will continue to partner with relevant stakeholders to raise awareness about the importance of vaccines and the need for the public to embrace vaccination.

“At Pfizer, we have a long history in vaccine research and development, including a pivotal role in the eradication of polio and smallpox. Through the development of innovative delivery systems and technologies (the term often used is “novel vaccines”), we’ve created innovations for preventing deadly bacterial infections.”

“Vaccines underpin our global health security by preventing and controlling over 30 infectious diseases, reducing unnecessary hospitalizations and controlling infectious disease outbreaks. We should not forget that they are one of the world’s most powerful and cost-effective public health tools available and have successfully helped to eradicate, eliminate, and manage many deadly infectious diseases. Smallpox has been eradicated and polio is nearly gone. Cervical cancer could become the first cancer to be eliminated.”

“Vaccines also play a critical role in combatting antimicrobial resistance: they can reduce antibiotic use by preventing bacterial infections in the first place, such as with the pneumococcal and meningococcal vaccines, and can also prevent viral infections such as flu, which can provoke secondary infections requiring antibiotics.”

“Today, more than at any time in history, people are benefiting from safe and effective vaccines to prevent infections and diseases. These injections have protected people of all ages, from newborns to seniors.”

“However, our work is not done. Many viruses and bacteria still present a serious health risk, and so we continue to focus on research and development in new areas, with the goal of adding more approved vaccines to tackle pathogens.”

“By getting vaccinated, you can protect yourself and also avoid spreading preventable diseases to other people in your community. Some people cannot get certain vaccines because they are too young or too old or they have a weakened immune system or other serious health condition. Those people are less likely to catch a preventable disease when you and others around them are vaccinated against it. Help protect yourself and the people you love by staying up to date on recommended vaccinations.”


“Global vaccination coverage figures are looking up, but they still mask huge inequalities that we cannot afford to ignore. To help protect as many people as possible from life-threatening illness, we’re working to develop and distribute vaccines throughout the world. We’ve already seen that by channeling resources to the most promising public health opportunities, we can have an impact across all areas of life”, he said.

About World Immunization Week

Each April, World Immunization Week brings together people from around the world to highlight the importance of vaccines and how they protect people of all ages against many diseases, giving us the opportunity to pursue a life well-lived.

This year’s campaign comes at a critical turning point for immunization. After over two years of immunization backsliding caused by COVID-19 pandemic disruptions, we must catch-up, restore and strengthen immunization services to reach the millions of people missing out on the life-saving benefits of vaccines and stop outbreaks from accelerating.

In recognition of this historic moment for immunization, World Immunization Week 2023 will mark the beginning of a year-long campaign with the theme “The Big Catch-up,” representing a global push to vaccinate millions of children and return to pre-pandemic vaccination levels.