Dakar — Sign here the #EveryShotCounts Petition to Provide Universal Immunization

Dear Leaders,

It is our collective responsibility to protect and stand up for those who are most vulnerable on our continent: our children. In 2016, the biggest killers of African children under the age of five are pneumonia and diarrhea. These diseases are completely preventable through the power of vaccines and basic sanitation.

We know how to prevent these diseases. We have the tools. Nevertheless, incredibly: 1 in 5 African children still lack access to basic, lifesaving vaccines. We need to change this reality. We need to rally all of our political will. We need to mobilize every single element of our societies to reach every child everywhere.

We call on you to:

* Commit to reaching every last child with the essential vaccines and health services needed to survive

* Support and fully implement the Ministerial Declaration, signed by Ministers of Health, Finance, Education and Social Affairs at the first-ever Ministerial Conference on Immunization in Africa on February 25, 2016

* Wholeheartedly commit to implementing national immunization programs in your countries.

We believe that every child deserves the opportunity to celebrate their fifth birthday.

With Africa leading the way, we can create a world in which every child is given an equal shot at a healthy future.

Sincerely,

The Speak Up Africa community

WHAT WE WANT

Together we stand to support #EveryShotCounts

We are in the middle of a HEALTH emergency

1 in 5 of our children do not have access to basic, lifesaving vaccines.

We need our leaders to improve this reality.

We call on all our leaders to commit to expanding vaccine coverage by ensuring that each of our children is vaccinated against preventable disease.

We Africans must stand together to call on leaders to prioritize immunisation for our children.

In July 2016, all of our leaders will gather at the African Union Summit meeting in Rwanda. Let's take that opportunity to show heads of government strong evidence of our support for immunization.

Help us put pressure on our leaders to protect the lives of our children.

With only few weeks left until the high level meetings of the African Union, we need your help to get to 10,000 signatures, so we can show dramatic evidence of support behind our appeal for universal access to immunization.

Help us re-write the stories of our children by signing and sharing the petition today.

WHO WE ARE

We are the Speak Up Africa community.

We are convinced that a prosperous and stable Africa begins with active and engaged citizens; and with leaders that accelerate transformational change.

Today we call on all our leaders to push for the right of every child to have access to life-saving vaccines, and therefore the best possible chance for a healthy future. #EveryShotCounts

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of Speak Up Africa.

Source: Speak Up Africa