Doha, May 07 (QNA) - The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) announced Wednesday that the number of vaccines included in Qatar's national immunization schedule has risen to 15, contributing to the prevention of 17 diseases and their complications.

An MoPH statement said the vaccines, available free of charge in all Hamad Medical Corporation's primary healthcare centers as well as in 70 private centers, cover all groups within society, including children, adolescents, adults, the elderly, pregnant women, travelers, people with chronic conditions, and healthcare workers.

Several vaccines have also been approved and added in recent years, including the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for adolescents, the shingles (herpes zoster) vaccine, and the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine for the elderly.

The statement added that MoPH is working with technical support from the National Immunization Technical Advisory Group, to monitor and ensure the safety of vaccines.

The MoPH has intensified its awareness efforts on the occasion of World Immunization Week, which is designated by the World Health Organization during the last week of April each year. This year's celebration is held under the theme "Humanly Possible: Immunization for All," and the week represents an opportunity to enhance access to and use of vaccines to protect individuals and communities from diseases and epidemics.

The efforts to improve vaccine access in the State of Qatar are being made in cooperation with its partners in the healthcare sector, with the ministry calling on members of the public and its partners to play a vital role in protecting themselves and their loved ones from diseases by supporting and improving access to vaccines. (QNA)