 World Immunization Week is celebrated in the last week of April. It aims to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against vaccine-preventable diseases. To save lives with vaccines, it is necessary to support all stages of vaccine research and development, manufacturing and delivery. So, what does the vaccine journey look like? The first stage involves research and development. Vaccines carry out lab research to find potential vaccines. This is typically funded by governments and other organizations. The potential vaccine is then tested for safety and effectiveness, first in animals and then humans. The successful vaccine is then sent for regulatory review and approval. The second stage involves manufacturing and procurement. Pharmaceutical companies work out how many doses to manufacture as well as pricing, before starting to manufacture the vaccine. At this stage governments also negotiate deals to purchase doses of the vaccine. The final stage involves delivery and access. The vaccine doses are transported when needed and stored to keep them safe. Governments, NGOs and others give people information about the vaccine and make sure those who should get it, have access to it. The vaccine is then administered by trained health workers, giving people protection against the disease. Currently, immunization can protect against at least 25 different infectious agents or diseases. It is estimated that immunization currently averts 2 to 3 million deaths every year. Let's support World Immunization Week by raising public awareness of how immunization saves lives, through vaccinations needed against deadly diseases.