Between 27 and 30 April, the Department of Russian Language and Intercultural Communication held a series of events dedicated to Immunization Week. The activities were organised for foreign students and aimed to draw attention to vaccination issues and its history, as well as to emphasize the need for coordinated action in combating infectious diseases and the importance of the physician's role in disseminating scientific information among different population groups and countering misinformation.

      Together with Associate Professors Anna Komarova and Anastasiya Bardovskaya, 1st and 2nd-year students of the Faculty of Foreign Students visited a thematic book exhibition organised at the library of Kirov State Medical University and attended a lecture on the history of vaccination in Russia and worldwide. Foreign students showed considerable interest in learning about the contributions of prominent physicians and scientists to immunoprophylaxis and their discoveries, which have saved millions of lives.

      As a continuation of the discussion that began at the library, 2nd-year students watched a short film about Ilya Mechnikov. They learned about the discoveries and contributions of the Nobel laureate to the development of innate immunity theory and his fight against dangerous diseases of his time, including tuberculosis, typhus, syphilis, and cholera. Following the film, students participated in a quiz based on the material they had watched. The event concluded with an improvised show, in which participants competed to present the biography of the great scientist in an expressive and engaging manner.

      For 5th-year foreign students, senior lecturer Marina Boyarinseva organised a discussion on immunoprophylaxis. During the session, participants discussed not only the history of vaccination and the origin of the term itself but also seven key principles of successful vaccination, as well as the risks associated with the trend of parents refusing to vaccinate preschool-aged children.

      The events held were informative and also allowed students to demonstrate their knowledge and public speaking skills.