Exemplary practice: Danish Childhood Immunisation Programme

On the 23 June, the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) recognised the Danish Health Authority for its efforts in the implementation of the Childhood Immunisation Programme.

The award of exemplary practice is part of the larger pan-European initiative, "Overcoming Obstacles to Vaccination", a 3-year project aimed at tackling obstacles of physical, practical, and administrative nature to vaccination. This initiative sets out to identify and assess the impact of obstacles to vaccination, share and pilot best practices and develop recommendations, in turn supporting EU Member States and increasing vaccination coverage rates.

Using criteria the European Commission developed, health authorities – from across the European Union – submitted interventions they considered promising practices to address obstacles to vaccination. From the numerous submissions, five projects were selected. The Danish Childhood Immunisation Programme is one of the five.

Martine Ingvorsen, Policy officer European Commission, DG SANTE, Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, acknowledged the programmes achievement in:

• Exceeding 90% in vaccination uptake for most recommended vaccines, ensuring a large percentage of Danish children receive immunisations.
• Preventing infectious diseases like measles, mumps, rubella, and polio with vaccination coverage rates surpassing 95%.
• Providing accessible services through local general practitioners, improving convenience and uptake.
• Reducing financial barriers and ensuring equal access to immunisation services.
• Launching successful schemes and campaigns, such as vaccination ambassadors to help overcome physical barriers and address the needs of vulnerable populations.
• Successfully building trust and confidence among parents and the population, leading to high vaccination uptake.