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News In this issue
News
Recent measles outbreaks point to gaps
in elimination efforts in the Americas
Nepal introduces PCV in its National
Immunization Programme
Polio Endgame: The switch from tOPV to bOPV is on track for April 2016
Republic of Moldova successfully intro-duces pneumococcal vaccine
Togo MoH and AMP Organize Pneu-mococcal Pneumonia Imm. Campaign
Argentina Highlights the Importance of Pertussis and Influenza Vaccination
during Pregnancy
Jamaica Launches Measles Prevention Campaign
AMP, with Technical Support of Villag-eReach, Launches SIIGL
Gavi Application Timelines in 2015
2 2
3
3
4
4
5
5 6
Upcoming meeting 6-7
Consultant /Staff positions 8
Meetings / workshops
Course for the Effective Management of
the EPI
Nat. WS to Evaluate Statistical Info
Systems and Internat. WS on Electronic Immunization Registries
Reg. Mtg of Bacterial Pneumonias and Sentinel Surveillance of Meningitis
Hepatitis B Birth Dose Assessment WS
Training on vaccine safety and contrain-dications for HC pro in Rep of Moldova
Nat. WS for Penta Vacc. Introduction
RI Microplanning Workshops for Sur-veillance Medical Officers
First meeting of the PAHO MIG
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Resources 15-
17
Calendar 18-19
Links 20
Global Immunization News (GIN) February 2015
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You can click on the article you are
interested in and access it directly! Nigeria Introduces the use of Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) in
its Routine Immunization (RI) Programme Bassey Bassey Okposen and Etsano Andrew, NPHCDA; Jane Bammeke and Gloria Nwulu,
UNICEF; Daniel Ali, Jeevan Makam and Rachel Seruyange, WHO; Garba Abdu and Abiola
Ojumu, CHAI
In February 2015, Nigeria
became one of the first Gavi
supported countries to in-
troduce IPV into its routine
immunization (RI) pro-
gramme. About seven million
newborns will be targeted in
2015.
It is 7 months since Nigeria
registered its last case of
Wild Polio Virus (WPV) and
the country has never come
so close to stopping trans-
mission in the history of the
Global Polio Eradication Initi-
ative (GPEI). Nigeria, Africa
and rest of the world hold its breath! Great progress has been made in the Polio Eradica-
tion Initiative (PEI) with the number of WPV cases dropping from 122 in 2012 to 6 in
2014. Immunity gaps do exist, as evidenced by the increase in the number of type 2 circu-
lating vaccine derived polio viruses (cVDPV) in security challenged north eastern States.
Within the framework of the PEI endgame strategy, the IPV introduction is fully funded by
the GPEI budget, channeled through Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. DPT3/Penta3 coverage has
steadily increased from 26% to 58% between 2012 and 2013 (WUENIC 2014). Further
improvements to routine immunization are expected with the introduction of IPV, for
example, the training of more than 50,000 managers and frontline health workers, advoca-
cy and community mobilization efforts and the improved availability of data tools.
Prior to the introduction of IPV into RI and to fight the last reservoirs of WPV, Nigeria
conducted an accelerated introduction of IPV in 2014 using a campaign strategy in 3 prior-
ity states (Borno, Yobe and Kano), supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
IPV was administered to approximately 3.2 million children under 5.
Within the RI programme, eligible children will receive a single dose of IPV at 14 weeks of
age or at the first immunization contact for infants starting the RI schedule late (aged
greater than 3 months). Nigeria also introduced the pneumococcal vaccine in its RI pro-
gramme in December 2014 and looks forward to other new opportunities including rota-
virus vaccine.
A child receiving IPV from the Supervising Minister of Health,
Dr. Khaliru Alhassan, Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria, at the
National Launch of IPV into routine immunization in Nigeria on
20th February 2015. Credit: ©NPHCDA Nigeria
Page 2
Global Immunization News (GIN) February 2015
Recent measles outbreaks point to gaps in elimination efforts in the Americas Hayatee Hasan, WHO Headquarters
Recent measles outbreaks in the United States and Brazil suggest that
immunization rates in some areas have dropped below levels needed to
prevent the spread of cases imported into the Americas.
Measles has been considered eliminated from the Americas since 2002,
due to the absence of endemic transmission of the disease. Now, mea-
sles elimination "is facing major challenges, with several ongoing impor-
tations of measles in some countries," according to an epidemiological
alert distributed to member countries across the region.
The alert urges countries to strengthen measles surveillance activities
and to "take appropriate measures to protect residents in the Americas against measles and rubella."
For more information, visit this page.
Nepal introduces Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) in its National
Immunization Programme Santosh Gurung, WHO Nepal
POKHARA, Nepal, 18 January 2015: The National Immunization Programme in Nepal achieved another mile-
stone with the introduction of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) following the recent historical addition of
Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV), making it the first in the region to introduce the injectable polio vaccine.
The introduction of PCV will address one of the major killers of children, pneu-
mococcal pneumonia, along with other severe forms of pneumococcal disease
such as meningitis and bacteremia. In Nepal, it accounts for 13 percent of under-
five child deaths, making it one of the top two causes of deaths.
The launch was held at Western Regional Hospital in Pokhara and witnessed by
representatives from the Government, development partners, health facilities,
female community health volunteers, community and media.
“The Ministry of Health and Population is very proud to introduce PCV in the routine
immunization programme, with the support of GAVI, and in line with Nepal’s endorse-
ment of the Global Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Pneumonia and Diar-
rhoea,” said Honorable Minister for Health and Population, Mr. Khag Raj Adhikari, chief guest.
Nepal introduced PCV10 in line with evidence of the circulating predominant
serotypes (1, 5, 14) in 16 districts in Western region with immediate plans for
expansion. PCV 10 is scheduled to be given in three doses at six weeks, ten
weeks and nine months. This decision was aligned with recommendations
from National Committee on Immunization Practices (NCIP) and will be se-
conded by further studies in areas such as multiple injectable vaccines and
immunogenic studies.
This initiative makes Nepal in line to achieve MDG4 to reduce child mortality
by two thirds by 2015. The other new vaccines in the pipeline for introduction
are Measles-Rubella (second dose) and Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Vaccina-
tion Demonstration Programme later this year.
Young boy receiving Measles vaccine
Saina Pun, the first child to receive
PCV in Nepal. Credit : WHO,
Nepal
Honorable Minister for Health and
Population, Mr. Khag Raj Adhikari
handing over PCV to health workers.
Credit : WHO, Nepal
Global Immunization News (GIN) February 2015
Page 3
Polio Endgame: The switch from tOPV to bOPV is on track for April 2016 Lisa Menning, WHO Headquarters
In its January 2015 meeting, the WHO Executive Board called on all Member States to accelerate preparation for a
globally coordinated switch from trivalent to bivalent OPV in April 2016. The Board’s request follows the WHO
SAGE announcement in October 2014 that preparations are on track for this important milestone towards achieving
polio eradication.
The withdrawal of OPV is a critical step within objective 2 of the Polio Eradication and Endgame Strategic Plan 2013-
2018.
OPV works by using live attenuated (weakened) polioviruses to stimulate an immune response against three different
types of poliovirus (types 1, 2 and 3). Use of OPV has nearly eliminated polio from the planet, with the last case of
wild poliovirus type 2 seen in 1999. However, on very rare occasions, in countries where immunization coverage is
low, vaccine-derived polioviruses from strains initially contained in OPV can change and spread to others.
To counter this potential risk, OPVs will be removed in a phased manner, starting with the replacement of trivalent
OPV with bivalent OPV, the latter protecting against types 1 and 3. The introduction of IPV will also help to manage
risks associated with the withdrawal of the type 2 component of trivalent OPV, and help to boost immunity to types
1 and 3.
In anticipation of an April 2016 switch date, WHO has launched an updated website with new materials and guidance
for the 145 countries that use OPV. To access these materials and learn more about the switch, please click on this
link.
Republic of Moldova successfully introduces pneumococcal vaccine Catharina de Kat-Reynen, WHO EURO
Following the introduction of pneumococcal vaccine (PCV) into the routine
immunization schedule in the Republic of Moldova, an evaluation has con-
cluded that the effort progressed smoothly. The evaluation was conducted
by the Ministry of Health on 18-24 November 2014 with support from
WHO/Europe, the WHO Country Office and the United States Centers for
Disease Prevention and Control.
Four evaluation teams consisting of international consultants and Moldovan
staff visited seven districts across the country and administered standardized
questionnaires and interviews at the national, district and health facility lev-
els.
PCV vaccination began in October 2013 in most areas of the country, with
the exception of the Transnistria region, and was preceded by effective pre-
paratory activities to ensure that the immunization system was ready and the new vaccine would be accepted by med-
ical workers and parents. This included staff training, revision of the immunization recording and reporting system,
upgrading the cold chain and providing supportive supervision in health facilities. Information on PCV introduction
was disseminated via national and district television, radio, newspapers, public health websites, posters and brochures.
Although coverage with two doses of PCV was relatively high for the first year after introduction (estimated to reach
78% of infants by the end of 2014), this was short of the previously established target of 95%. (The third dose is ad-
ministered at 12 months of age, and therefore coverage with the third dose will be assessed in 2015.)
The evaluation team recommended that the Ministry of Health conduct regular analyses of the reasons for children
not being vaccinated at health facilities, and use the results to plan and implement measures to increase the uptake of
vaccines. To reduce the number of false contraindications, training of district and national level health care workers
was also recommended. WHO/Europe offered consultancy and financial support to conduct these trainings in Chis-
inau and Tiraspol.
Field staff who participated in the evalua-
tion of the PCV introduction in the Re-
public of Moldova. Credit: CDC/ S.
Ndiaye
Page 4
Global Immunization News (GIN) February 2015
Togo Ministry of Health and Agence de Médecine Préventive (AMP) organize
pneumococcal pneumonia immunization campaign Alice Henry-Tessier and Jennifer Moisi, Agence de Médecine Préventive (AMP)
A free catch-up immunization campaign against pneumococcal disease is being organized from 23 February to 1
March 2015 for children aged nine to 59 months in the Tône and Cinkassé districts of Togo.
With more than 90 different strains from the same bacterium, pneumococcal infection is one of the main causes of
death in children and adults worldwide. The PCV13 vaccine offers protection against the thirteen strains most com-
monly found in Togo, and was introduced into routine immunization in June 2014.
The catch-up campaign being implemented by the team from AMP’s PneumoTône project and the Togo Ministry of
Health has two aims: to vaccinate over 95% of children in the target range with PCV13 in the districts of Tône and
Cinkassé; and to measure the incidence of the disease and vaccine impact in the general population in these areas.
Children will be vaccinated free of charge in health centers and similar facilities thanks to research grants provided
by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Pfizer, with 80,000 doses of PCV13 provided by Pfizer.
Argentina highlights the importance of pertussis and influenza vaccination during
pregnancy María del Valle Juarez, Nathalia Katz, Silvina Neyro and Carla Vizzotti, National Direction for the Control of Immuno-
preventable Diseases (DiNaCEI), Ministry of Health-Argentina
Argentina is counting, as of 2015, with
19 free and mandatory vaccines in the
national vaccination schedule, meant for
all stages of life, becoming one of the
most complete schedules in the Region
of the Americas.
Pregnancy is a prioritized stage of life.
Specific strategies were created to reach
women during the gestation period, through the incorporation of free and mandatory vac-
cines, along with communication and dissemination of recommendations, with the support
of scientific societies, opinion leaders and mass media. Since 2011, the Ministry of Health of
Argentina has launched national campaigns to encourage influenza and pertussis vaccination
in the country. In addition to images and posters communicating this message, a video was published.
The purpose is to raise awareness within this population of the importance of vaccination during a vulnerable stage of
life and the benefit created by the protection transferred to the foetus through the placenta, during its first life
months. The influenza vaccine in any trimester and the triple acellular bacterial vaccine (Tdap) after the twentieth
gestational week are the fundamental pillars of this strategy.
The national coverage reached in this group with the influenza vaccine
has exceeded 90% in the last three years. With regard to Tdap vac-
cination, national coverage exceeding 67% was reached.
Epidemiological surveillance of pertussis already shows the impact of
this strategy. In 2011, prior to its beginning, 76 deaths from pertussis
were registered, a corresponding 97% of which were children less
than 12 months. In 2014, this number was reduced by 92% to only six
deaths, reflecting the lowest number of deaths due to pertussis in the
last 34 years.
Global Immunization News (GIN) February 2015
Page 5
Jamaica launches Measles prevention campaign Simone Spence, Ministry of Health-Jamaica; Karen Lewis-Bell, PAHO-Jamaica
In ensuring their commitment to PAHO Resolution CSP28.R14 to
maintain the status of measles and rubella elimination in the Region
of the Americas, and in recognition of the current risk of re-
importation of measles into the country, Jamaica on 16 February
launched a measles prevention campaign. This campaign targets
some 195,000 children aged one to six years for vaccination with
both doses of the MMR vaccine. This cohort of children includes
approximately 100,000 children aged 19 months to three years who
would not normally be expected to receive the second dose of MMR
at their age.
The campaign will be conducted through health facilities and schools
from 16 February to 8 May 2015, at a cost of JA$54.4 million.
In his address at the launch, the Minister said: “Although this cam-
paign will largely focus on the provision of the MMR vaccine including
the booster dose, it will also provide other vaccines available in the
public sector which children may have missed.” He added that “the
main objectives are to capture those who have not been fully im-
munized at their age, in order to improve immunization coverage in
Jamaica, and to provide adequate immunity in order to reduce the susceptible population for measles in children and
at the same time impact other vaccine-preventable diseases such as rubella.”
Through the success of immunization, Jamaica had the last case of locally transmitted measles in 1991 but the MMR
vaccination coverage has fluctuated from a low of 81% in 2011 to a high of 94% in 2013. The campaign target cover-
age for both doses of MMR is 95% or greater.
Minister of Health, Dr. Fenton Ferguson (center)
makes a point during the launch of the Jamaican
Ministry of Health's Measles Prevention Campaign
held at the Office of the Prime Minister on Mon-
day, February 16, 2015. Seated with the Minister
(left to right) PAHO/WHO representative to
Jamaica, Dr. Noreen Jack, Acting Chief Medical
Officer, Dr. Marion Bullock DuCasse, Permanent
Secretary, Dr. Kevin Harvey and Director, Family
Health Services, Dr. Simone Spence. Credit: Steph-
anie Shaw-Smith, PRO, Ministry of Health, Jamaica
Agence de Médecine Préventive (AMP), with technical support of VillageReach,
launches Système Informatisé d’Information de la Gestion Logistique (SIIGL) Sandy Hawley, VillageReach and Alice Henry-Tessier, Agence de Médecine Préventive (AMP)
Open Source Information System Increases Benin’s Vaccine Supply Chain Efficiency
L’Agence de Médecine Préventive (AMP) and the NGO VillageReach are working together to implement a new com-
puterized logistics management information system, Système Informatisé d’Information de Gestion Logistique (SIIGL), de-
signed to support Benin’s vaccine supply chain in the Comé Heath Zone.
This innovative information and data collection system has been adapted to fit Benin’s needs, ensuring compatibility
with a new informed push vaccine distribution system implemented by AMP’s LOGIVAC project in the Comé Health
Zone. The new vaccine supply chain has been completely reorganized and outfitted with a mobile warehouse and
solar cold chain equipment to improve the immunization programme performance. SIIGL will support the informed
push distribution system by improving data visibility at all levels of the health system, ensuring more reliable deliveries,
improved quality control, and reduced vaccine stock-outs.
The initial goal of SIIGL is to facilitate the collection of logistical data and reduce the use of paper forms and reports
as much as possible. The web-based system with off-line capability for data entry and analysis, will also support logisti-
cians in organizing the distribution and tracking the use of vaccines in the health zones and make available key immun-
ization indicators (coverage and wastage by antigen, temperature excursion, availability of cold chain equipment) im-
mediately following each distribution.
SIIGL was launched in Benin with an initial training from 28-30 January 2015, attended by logisticians from the Comé
Health Zone as well as by representatives from the Logistics department of the National Agency for Immunization
and Primary Healthcare (ANV-SSP). The pilot introduction of the system started in the Comé Health Zone in Febru-
ary 2015, for vaccine distributions at health centers.
Page 6
Global Immunization News (GIN) February 2015
Gavi Application Timelines in 2015 Romain Esperon, Gavi
Gavi has announced three application rounds in 2015 as summarized below:
* The second round with the 1 May 2015 deadline is a new round that is open only for the following types of sup-
port:
Resubmissions or new requests in exceptional circumstances for IPV support
The following types of HSS proposals:
The country will have a gap in its HSS funding if it has to wait until the last IRC round in 2015 to
apply;
The country has earlier received a recommendation of resubmission from the IRC for its HSS proposal
and is reverting with a revised proposal;
The country’s HSS proposal was screened out during the pre-IRC screening process in an earlier
round and is reverting with a revised proposal.
2015
Expression of Interest cut-off dates
Application submission cut-off dates
Independent Review Committee dates
Gavi CEO or Executive Committee / Board Decision
For all types of Gavi support
Not applicable 25 January 2015 16-27 March 2015 June 2015
New requests and resubmissions for IPV support, and specific types of
HSS support*
Not applicable 1 May 2015 22-26 June 2015 September 2015
New requests, for
any type of Gavi support (excluding IPV)
8 May 2015 8 September 2015 6 – 20 November 2015 Early March 2016
SAVE THE DATES: 14th TechNet Consultation in Thailand – 12-14 May 2015 Patrick Lydon, WHO Headquarters
The TechNet is a global technical network of professionals and practitioners committed to strengthening immun-
ization services in developing countries – a network established since 1990 with WHO as its Secretariat. Since its
creation, members of the network meet face-to-face every two years in order to discuss key immunization imple-
mentation challenges. Since 2001, the TechNet consultation has rotated the venue across the six WHO regions.
The South-East Asia region (SEAR) previously hosted the eighth TechNet Consultation in New Delhi, India in
2001. Next year the TechNet Consultation returns to SEAR and will be organized in Thailand be-
tween 12-14 May 2015.
The theme of the 14th TechNet Consultation will be: Immunization Supply Chain and Logistics:
Current Challenges, Innovations and Future Prospects and will be co-organized by WHO and UNICEF as
part of the immunization supply chain and logistics Hub. The consultation is expected to cover topics such as vac-
cine and cold chain innovations; promising approaches for improved vaccine distribution; temperature monitoring
technologies and practices; innovative last-mile transportation systems; human resources for logistics challenges;
advances in data systems for vaccine stock control; new policies/guidance and tools for effective vaccine manage-
ment; and immunization supply chain improvement planning.
In addition, the consultation will host a Manufacturers Marketplace where new cold chain equipment and technol-
ogies can be demonstrated and presented to participants.
The expected outcomes of the consultation are to: Provide evidence and information on the current challenges
and innovative strategies or practices that can positively impact vaccine supply chain logistic systems in national
immunization programmes; Share experiences from the field relating to immunization supply chain and logistics
within the context of new vaccine introductions; and Stimulate dialogue and debate on the development and im-
plementation of best practices in vaccine management.
Please keep an eye out for updates on the 14th Consultation through the TechNet website.
Upcoming meeting
Page 7
Global Immunization News (GIN) February 2015
Global Protect, Innovate and Accelerate (PIA) Immunization Meeting 2015
This year’s meeting, hosted by WHO EURO, will take place in Sitges (Barcelona), Spain from Tuesday 23 June to
Thursday 25 June 2015.
A retreat for WHO and UNICEF staff is tentatively scheduled on Monday 22 June 2015.
Further Partner Satellite Meetings will be scheduled on Monday 22 June 2015 and/or Fridaz 26 June 2015.
More details, including agenda, meeting venue, and travel information will be shared in due course.
Workshop on "National Immunization Programme and Vaccine Coverage in ASEAN
countries"
Usa Thisyakorn, Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of Thailand
Location: Pattaya, Thailand
Date: 30 April 2015
Participants: Twenty participants representing 10 countries from ASEAN (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Ma-
laysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam), who are the Presidents and key opinion
leaders in Pediatric Infectious Disease Societies.
Purpose: General: To promote sharing of knowledge and collaboration among the ASEAN countries in the
prevention and control of pediatric infectious diseases. Specific objectives: 1. To share an update on the global situation and key interventions on vaccination. 2. To share updates on immunization programmes and the vaccine coverage in each ASEAN country. 3. To support and encourage quality research in pediatric infectious diseases in ASEAN countries. 4. To promote collaboration among the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society and experts in the Region.
Details: The workshop sessions will include: - A keynote speech entitled “Vaccination for all ages” (Dr Jean-Marie Okwo-Bele, The World Health
Organization). - A workshop session inviting the President of the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society and the Presi-
dent of the Pediatric Society from each country to present on their national immunization programme. - A session on country reports from ASEAN countries for comment by experts in order to promote
and encourage quality research. The goal of the workshop is to exchange information on the national immunization programmes and
the sharing of research results from countries in the Region. This will be useful for delegates attending
the workshop to share best practices, to support national programme planning, as well as to promote
collaboration among countries. Quality research will be encouraged in countries of the Region. The
outcomes of the workshop will be included in an article published in a peer-review journal, to guide
policy makers, programme managers and scientists working in this field. The ultimate goal of the workshop is to improve the health of children affected by infectious diseases,
the fastest growing health burdens the world is facing.
Page 8
Global Immunization News (GIN) February 2015
Meetings/Workshops
Call for consultant – OPV Switch
For more information, click on this direct link to the vacancy notice. The deadline for application is 03 March
2015.
Call for consultant - Vaccine Safety Net (VSN) and PIP framework
One position is open, with the following expertise needed:
University degree in biomedical science and public health with good knowledge of vaccine safety and vigilance
issues (past and current);
Working with relevant technical and programmatic teams in WHO; In-depth knowledge and experience with the management of the VSN project;
Experience in web site design, development, and evaluation;
In-depth knowledge of the PIP framework, the PIP partnership contributions, and the PIP implementation plan
for regulatory capacity building in priority countries; Preparation of written documents and reports (in English and one other official UN language) that align WHO
institutional priorities; Organization, implementation and facilitation of workshops and trainings.
To access the TORs, please click here.
Only selected candidates will be contacted (individually) by the WHO Secretariat.
CV should be submitted to WHO/SAV/GVS by electronic mail ONLY with title as follow: Call for consultant
VSN/PIP
The deadline for receipt of CVs is 10 March 2015.
Consultant - Staff Positions Available
Course for the Effective Management of the Expanded Programme on Immun-
ization (EPI)
Martha Velandia, PAHO-Washington, DC; Hannah Kurtis, PAHO-Washington, DC; Fernando Muñoz Porras,
Ministry of Health-Chile; Pamela Burgos, Ministry of Health-Chile
Location: Metropolitan Region, Santiago de Chile
Date: 2-4 December 2014
Participants: Six course facilitators and 60 individuals from across Chile who have the responsibility of managing
and implementing the country’s immunization programme at the national, regional and local levels.
Purpose: • To serve as a learning opportunity for the technical staff of the Chilean national immunization
programme to review the latest information on topics including EPI diseases and vaccines, cold
chain issues, programming, data quality and supervision, monitoring and evaluation. • To analyze the current challenges, available resources and performance of the EPI, in order to
optimize planning, verify coverage and improve the quality of immunization services that are of-
fered.
Details: The EPI Management Course was carried out in the village of Cuncumen, in the greater Metropoli-
tan Region of Santiago, Chile at the request of authorities from the national programme. Five out of
six course modules were covered during the three days, including 1. EPI Diseases, II. EPI Vaccines,
III.Cold Chain, V. Programming Immunization Activities and VI. Supervision, Monitoring and Evalua-
tion. A mixed methodology was used during the course, including facilitator-led presentations and
individual and group work. There were also many opportunities for discussion throughout the
course, to allow participants to share their own experiences and lessons learned.
Global Immunization News (GIN) February 2015
Page 9
National workshop to evaluate statistical information systems and international
workshop on electronic immunization registries
Javier Vargas, Ministry of Health-Peru; Manuel Loayza, Karim Pardo and Washington Toledo, Ministry of
Health-Peru; Fabiana Michel, PAHO-Peru; Carolina Danovaro, PAHO-Washington, DC
Location: Huacho, Peru
Date: 2-4 December 2014
Partici-
pants:
Peru’s Vice-Minister for Public Health; Repre-
sentatives of Peru’s Ministry of Health (MOH)
Office of Statistics and informatics and the
Immunization Strategy; Statistics representa-
tives from each Region; representatives from
the MOH of Brazil and Ecuador, and from the
Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)
Some participants from the workshops on statistical infor-
mation systems and electronic immunization registries in
Huacho, Peru, January 2015
Purpose: To share the results related to data quality and information systems and the recommendations on these
issues from the International EPI review led by PAHO in October 2014; and to discuss data issues from
different programmes and statistical systems, as well as results from recent Demography Health Surveys
(DHS) and share new guidelines. A sub-group had a parallel workshop to 1) discuss some of the innovative immunization data analysis
done in Peru and the implementation of a national registry of children 0-6 years and its implications for
the development of an electronic immunization registry (EIR), and; 2) agree on the objectives and the
format for PAHO new field guide on EIR.
Details: Over the course of three days, the responsible focal points for health statistics from all regions met to
evaluate and discuss several of the country’s health information sub-systems, including the results and
recommendations from an international EPI review/data quality assessment that took place in October
2014. Some highlights of the 2014 review on the Health Information System (HIS) included that the HIS is
the only recognized system for health statistics (including immunization data), via a decree and has clear
norms; the information produced by the HIS is used for decision-making; and that the Ministry of Finances
uses the data produced from the HIS to measure goals and help provide performance-based incentives. The MOH has a data quality improvement plan that will now be adapted to include data reviewed at the
health facility level, as done during the 2014 EPI review/data quality assessment. On EIR, Peru has devel-
oped an innovative national child registry, which is updated at the municipal level as a collaborative effort
between health, civil registration and other local actors. This registry will serve as the base for developing
individual-based health registries, including and EIR. At the end of the meeting, each region had a work
plan and PAHO had a new draft of an EIR field guide.
Global Immunization News (GIN) February 2015
Page 10
Regional meeting of Bacterial Pneumonias and sentinel surveillance of Meningitis
Lucia Helena de Oliveira, PAHO-Washington DC
Loca-
tion:
Panama City, Panama
Date: 10-11 December 2014
Partici-
pants:
Eighty participants representing twelve countries
(Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Dominican Republic, Ecua-
dor, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, Para-
guay, Peru, and Venezuela), the Pan-American Health
Organization (PAHO), Sabin Vaccine Institute, and
the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC)
Participants of the Regional Meeting of Bacterial Pneu-
monias and Sentinel Surveillance of Meningitis, Panama,
December 2014
Purpose: To share national experiences about the sentinel surveillance at regional and national level; review the
performance of the laboratories; plan activities to improve data quality of surveillance according to the
global surveillance network of bacterial pneumonias and meningitis (IBD) and rotavirus; present the
results of rotavirus vaccine impact studies in the Americas Region
Details: Ten countries in the Region have implemented sentinel surveillance of IBD and 16 have implemented
rotavirus sentinel surveillance. The regional results of the IBD and rotavirus surveillance were present-
ed, discussing challenges and strengths. Also three sentinel hospital from 2 countries (Nicaragua and
Honduras) presented results of IBD surveillance. The focus of the meeting was to discuss potential ap-
proaches to improving data quality generated by sentinel sites with epidemiologists and laboratory pro-
fessionals. The indicators that the countries should reach in order to be part of the Global Surveillance
Network were emphasized. The main challenge for 2015 is to implement the case database at sentinel
sites at the national level. It was concluded that the regional network (37 IBD sentinel sites and 74 ro-
tavirus sentinel site) had noted many achievements in 2013, but it is important to assure the quality of
the information in order to use this for the vaccines impact assessment.
Global Immunization News (GIN) February 2015
Page 11
Hepatitis B Birth Dose assessment workshop
Karen Hennessey, WHO Headquarters
Location: Brazzaville, Congo
Date: 3-5 February 2015
Participants: Immunization (IVE) focal points from WHO
Country Offices in seven of the eight countries in
the African Region that have introduced hepatitis
B birth dose vaccination as part of their national
immunization programmes (Algeria, Botswana,
Gambia, Mauritania, Namibia, Nigeria, and Sao
Tome Principe), IVE and Maternal Newborn and
Child Health (MNCH) focal points from WHO
AFRO, and the three Intercountry Support
Teams (East and Southern, West, and Central),
WHO HQ, the US Centres for Disease Control
and Prevention, and four international independ-
ent consultants.
Participants at the WHO Hepatitis B Birth Dose Assess-
ment Workshop, Brazzaville, Congo, 3-5 February 2015
Purpose: To bring together the countries that have already adopted birth dose vaccination to learn about their
experiences and build capacity for birth dose introduction or strengthening. In addition, consultants
were trained to conduct country assessments of birth dose vaccination policies, strategies, and prac-
tices.
Details: The 2014 WHO African Regional Committee adopted a resolution to control viral hepatitis B infec-
tion by reducing chronic hepatitis B prevalence to less than 2% in children under five in all Members
States by 2020. A key strategy for reaching this goal is to prevent mother-to-child transmission of
hepatitis B virus through timely delivery of hepatitis B vaccine at birth followed by at least 2 routine
doses. However, to date only eight countries in the Region have reported nationwide delivery of hep-
atitis B birth dose vaccination. The Regional Immunization Strategic Plan for 2014-2020 set a target for
at least 25 countries to introduce nationwide hepatitis B birth dose by the end of 2020. The workshop focused on the many unique aspects to planning and introducing birth dose vaccination,
including the critical need to administer the vaccine soon after birth to prevent mother-to-child virus
transmission, and the need for joint implementation by EPI and MNCH programmes to ensure timely
vaccination and reach to home births. The workshop was well-received by the participants and created a lively discussion around the room.
There was strong agreement by all for the need to integrate and collaborate with MNCH colleagues
and to monitor timely birth dose vaccination (vaccine administered within 24 hours after birth). Coun-
tries are enthusiastic to conduct birth dose assessments, document findings and share lessons learned.
Consultants were trained in the proposed methodology and survey questionnaire for the assessments.
It is expected that, with support from WHO and CDC, three to four birth dose assessments will be
conducted within the next six months.
Global Immunization News (GIN) February 2015
Page 12
Training on vaccine safety and contraindications for health care professionals in
the Republic of Moldova Catharina de Kat-Reynen, WHO EURO
Location: Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
Date: 2-4 December 2014
Partici-
pants:
Leading medical scientists, clinicians and medical
specialists from medical schools, hospitals, large out-
patient clinics as well as immunization programme
personnel from Chisinau, Tiraspol and sub-regions
participated in the training, which was conducted by
the National Immunization Programme; WHO
Country Office; WHO Regional Office for Europe;
and the Genetics, Vaccines, Infections and Pediatrics
Research Group, Área Integrada de Pediatría, Hospi-
tal Clínico Universitario de Santiago, Spain.
(From left) Trainers (F. Martinón-Torres and I.
Rivero Calle) of the WHO course on vaccine safety
and contraindications together with S. Gheorhita,
the Deputy Director of the Public Health Center
and A. Melnic, National Immunization Programme
Manager, Republic of Moldova. Credit: WHO
Purpose: To address the vaccine safety concerns underlying false contraindications in the context of recently
introduced rotavirus and pneumococcal vaccines, training materials were developed and training
workshops were held, led by Professor Martinón-Torres and Dr Irene Rivero Calle.
Details: The Republic of Moldova introduced the rotavirus vaccine in July 2012 and pneumococcal vaccine in
October 2013. Both introductions proceeded smoothly and health care professionals and the public
in general accepted the new vaccines well. However, one year after the introduction of rotavirus
vaccine, only 65% of infants were fully immunized against rotavirus, and coverage with pneumococcal
vaccine was also lower than the targeted 95% by the end of the first year. False contraindications provided by medical specialists and family physicians were responsible for
many infants not being vaccinated. Short- and long-term contraindications delay all vaccinations and
leave infants unprotected against rotavirus due to maximum age restrictions for rotavirus vaccination. Through the training, participants improved their understanding of: existing mechanisms and processes ensuring vaccine quality and safety; the impact of vaccines and the role of timely vaccination and high coverage; possible adverse events following immunization (AEFIs), including temporary versus casual associa-
tions between AEFIs and vaccination; true and false contraindications to each vaccine included in the national immunization schedule.
As a follow up, WHO will develop a manual for the training materials and provide support to the NIP
in conducting further cascade trainings at sub-regional level.
Global Immunization News (GIN) February 2015
Page 13
Towards the goal of country-wide expansion of pentavalent vaccine roll-out in India –
National Workshop for Pentavalent Vaccine Introduction
Pankaj Bhatnagar and Balwinder Singh, WHO Country Office for India
Location: New Delhi, India
Date: 26 September 2014
Participants during the workshop
Participants: One hundred participants: Mission Directors of National Health Mission and State Immunization Offic-
ers, field medical officers of the National Polio Surveillance Project of WHO India as well as other
partner organizations from the 12 states where the next phase of pentavalent introduction is planned. The meeting was co-hosted by WHO India and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW),
Government of India (GoI), and facilitated by experts from WHO, UNICEF and MoHFW, GoI. The
Additional Secretary/Mission Director, National Health Mission, MoHFW, GoI, WHO Representative
to India and UNICEF Country Representative also participated.
Purpose: a) Facilitate the expansion of pentavalent vaccine in 12 additional states of India; b) Build the capacity of
state programme managers for the introduction of pentavalent vaccine, including organizing state and
district workshops, completing trainings of district and sub-district staff involved in the vaccination pro-
gramme and managing vaccines and logistics; c) Disseminate key lessons learnt from the
recently conducted post-introduction evaluation (PIE) of pentavalent vaccine and to apply the learnings
in the 12 states.
Details: The introduction of Hib-containing pentavalent vaccine is a major public health tool in the prevention
of life-threatening diseases such as pneumonia and meningitis caused by the organism Haemophilus influ-
enzae type b. The pentavalent vaccine was being used in eight states of India at the beginning of 2014.
As part of its scale-up, , 12 additional states were identified by the programme for the introduction of
the vaccine in 2014. The national workshop was organized to orient the programme managers and
policy makers of these states in the technical and operational issues relevant to the introduction of a
new vaccine. The revised operational guidelines for the launch of the pentavalent vaccine were released and dis-
cussed during the workshop. The states had come prepared with a self-review of their preparedness
for introduction of the vaccine through standardized self-assessment checklists that had been shared
prior to this workshop. Common weaknesses identified during the preparedness assessment were
discussed and solutions identified. The workshop also focused on capacity building for frontline work-
ers on interpersonal communication skills to ensure that the right messages are given to caregivers.
Plans were made for conducting similar workshops at state and district levels for immunization officers,
medical officers, cold chain handlers, data handlers and IEC officials, and at block level for health work-
ers and mobilizers prior to introduction of the pentavalent vaccine. Following the national workshop, a total of 270 district immunization officers, 881 medical officers, 855
data handlers, 570 cold chain/vaccine handlers and 590 IEC managers were trained during the state
workshops. Seven states (Bihar, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and West Ben-
gal) have successfully launched the pentavalent vaccine as of January 2015, while the remaining five
states (Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Telangana) are likely to complete the pre-
paratory process and introduce the vaccine by March 2015.
Global Immunization News (GIN) February 2015
Page 14
Strengthening Routine Immunization (RI) in Uttar Pradesh, India – RI
Microplanning Workshops for Surveillance Medical Officers
Dr Pankaj Bhatnagar and Dr Leonard Machado, WHO Country Office for India
Location: Lucknow and Ghaziabad, India
Date: 17-19 December 2014 21-23 December 2014
Participants: Ninety seven participants that
included sub-regional team lead-
ers and surveillance medical offic-
ers from the Uttar Pradesh re-
gion of the National Polio Sur-
veillance Project of WHO India.
The workshop was facilitated by
the country team from the im-
munization cluster of WHO In-
dia.
Participants during the workshop
Purpose: Effective microplanning for routine immunization is the foundation for strengthening the service
delivery mechanism. It also enables effective identification and mobilization of vaccine beneficiaries.
The routine immunization microplanning workshops were conducted with the objective of building
the capacity of surveillance medical officers from the Uttar Pradesh region of the National Polio
Surveillance Project of WHO India for undertaking trainings at district and sub-district levels in
preparing robust and complete microplans for routine immunization.
Details: Monitoring of routine immunization has identified weak microplans as one of the reasons for sub-
optimal immunization coverage in India. The state of Uttar Pradesh accounts for nearly a third of
the more than 8 million unvaccinated and partially vaccinated children in the country. To address
this gap, WHO India developed a two-day training programme focusing on key processes for
strengthening routine immunization microplans. The training curriculum included individual and group exercises on the use of routine immunization
data to identify and prioritize blocks for targeted activities to strengthen coverage; review of RI
microplan components and comparisons with polio microplans to identify gaps; generating the cov-
erage monitoring chart; identification of primary health center specific and microplan related issues.
Another set of exercises included table-top simulations targeted at developing and updating due
lists of beneficiaries, calculating injection loads and preparing sub-center RI microplans; and priori-
tizing and presenting RI issues at the district and health center levels. The exercises led to an exchange of ideas and created an environment for active learning. During
the workshop, participants were also oriented on next steps in transitioning WHO’s polio services
to strengthen routine immunization; project implementation plans (PIP) in routine immunization;
and use of the district-level RI assessment checklist. In appreciating the organization of the workshops, Dr Nata Menabde, WHO Representative to
India, said that these workshops are an important component of polio legacy planning in India. As a next step, capacity-building of surveillance medical officers will be followed by trainings for
government district medical officers. Together, they will be instrumental in ensuring revision of
routine immunization microplans in the state of Uttar Pradesh as envisaged by the state govern-
ment and WHO India.
Global Immunization News (GIN) February 2015
Page 15
Resources
First meeting of the PAHO Maternal Immunization Working Group (PAHO MIG)
Cristina Pedreira and Alba María Ropero, PAHO-Washington, DC
Location: Washington, DC
Date: 11-12 February 2015
Participants: PAHO/WHO, CDC, Universidad Santa Casa de Sao Pablo, EPI Honduras, EPI Argentina, CLAP
(Centro Latino Americano de Perinatología), Emory University
Purpose: 1. To formalize the development of the PAHO MIG and refine its terms of reference; 2. To review the technical recommendations and evidence for the PAHO MIG guide; 3. To discuss an outline proposal for the PAHO MIG guide; 4. To agree on necessary steps to develop the PAHO MIG guide; and 5. To agree on channels and frequency of communications of the PAHO-MIG.
Details: During a first umbrella session, we reviewed the purpose and vision of the PAHO MIG, the regional
recommendations for antenatal care, an evidence update on maternal immunization, and the WHO
SAGE recommendations on maternal immunization. Additionally, two separate initiatives were pre-
sented for discussion. One of them was the WHO guide on MaternaI Influenza Immunization, which is
currently under development and was presented for the PAHO MIG to understand its scope, and to
ensure alignment and consistency with the PAHO MIG guide. The second initiative was the strategy
and Plan of Action for the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and congenital syphilis
in the Americas, highlighting lessons learned from the implementation of this initiative.
The status of influenza vaccination in pregnant women in the PAHO region, and two country experi-
ences (Argentina and Honduras) were reviewed. The preliminary results of two country studies on
birth outcomes related to maternal influenza vaccination (Laos and Nicaragua) were shared.
The SAGE and PAHO TAG recommendations on pertussis immunization, and how countries imple-
ment or adapt these recommendations, including two specific country experiences (Argentina and
Brazil) were reviewed, as well as the history and current status of pertussis disease and immunization
in the U.S.
The guide’s chapters were discussed and its basic objectives, audiences, and general structure were
agreed. The meeting finished with a discussion on a timeline for PAHO MIG guide development, next
steps and commitments.
The Right Shot: Bringing down barriers to affordable and adapted vaccines Kate Elder, Médecins sans Frontières
MSF releases 2nd edition of The Right Shot: Bringing down barriers to affordable and adapted vaccines
(January 2015)
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Access Campaign has recently released the second edition of
its report on vaccine pricing, The Right Shot: Bringing down barriers to affordable and adapted vac-
cines (January 2015). The report looks at available vaccine price information by procurement
agency, manufacturer, country, and antigen. It brings together approximately 1,500 vaccine
price data points from organisations including UNICEF, the Pan American Health Organization
(PAHO), governments, vaccine manufacturers and MSF’s own supply centres to analyse one of
the key barriers to vaccine access: unaffordable prices. The report is one of the most compre-
hensive publications on comparative vaccines prices available, bringing together in one place
information on 16 key vaccines across 13 countries.
The report also includes nine Vaccine Product Cards, which include information on disease burden, WHO recom-
mendations, administration schedules, product characteristics, pipeline products, access challenges, prices and afforda-
bility.
To download the report – available in English and French – please visit this website.
Global Immunization News (GIN) February 2015
Page 16
Honduras Deworming Campaign Video Sebastian Oliel, Harold Ruiz and Octavia Silva, PAHO-Washington, DC
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) along with the former Canadian International Development
Agency (CIDA-Canada), now the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development-Canada published an
informational campaign video from 2014 about deworming efforts in Honduras carried out by the Ministry of
Health and PAHO. The video, titled “Healthy Children without Worms: Deworming Campaign in Honduras”
communicates the reason behind the campaign as the elimination of “neglected diseases” in the country, with the
concrete goal of reducing the prevalence of intestinal parasitism.
After initially conducting a pilot study in one municipality and expanding efforts to seven municipalities the follow-
ing year, deworming gained national traction in Honduras as of 2014. Approximately 43% of children in Honduras
are infected with parasites. Parasitism can have a variety of symptoms, including malnutrition; gastrointestinal, der-
matological, respiratory, and viral problems; among others.
PAHO and the Ministry of Health have collaborated significantly in preparing comprehensive operational plans for
regions in Honduras to fight these diseases. Along with PAHO providing technical assistance, the Department of
Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development-Canada has contributed funds for the development and implementation
of activities to continue deworming efforts at the national level.
In order to expand the effort’s reach, the Ministry of Health decided early on to deworm the preschool popula-
tion during the country’s national vaccination campaign. This was well-received by communities as it eased access
to health services. Additionally, the country’s national campaign to deworm schoolchildren between ages 5-14,
which was carried out with help from the Ministry of Education and the Healthy Schools program, reached ap-
proximately 1.3 million children and about 80,000 preschool children (4-5 years old). Deworming children be-
tween 2-4 years old was integrated into the country’s national vaccination campaign.
The deworming campaign’s success can be seen in the absence or reduction of diarrhea outbreaks due to para-
sites as of March and April 2014. The campaign video can be seen at this link.
Updated guidance on the use of meningococcal A conjugate vaccines in routine
immunization of infants and young children
In an updated position paper published in the Weekly
Epidemiological Record, WHO emphasizes the im-
portance of completing mass vaccination campaigns in
individuals aged one to 29 years in all countries in the
African meningitis belt, and the need to conduct high
quality surveillance and vaccine programme evaluation
in those countries.
WHO recommends that countries completing mass
vaccination campaigns introduce meningococcal A con-
jugate vaccine into the routine childhood immunization
programme within one to five years following campaign
completion, along with a one-time catch-up campaign
for children born since the initial mass vaccination
campaign who would not be within the age range tar-
geted by the routine immunization programme.
A position paper on meningococcal vaccines was published in 2011 and its recommendations remain valid. The
updated guidance adds to the previous recommendations specifically concerning routine immunization of infants
and young children in the meningitis belt with meningococcal A conjugate vaccine, following discussions at the
October 2014 meeting of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on immunization.
For more information, visit this page.
Credit: WHO/AFRO
Global Immunization News (GIN) February 2015
Page 17
Report: IVAC VIMS Report on Global Vaccine Introduction – January 2015 (now with
IPV)
The following report displays data and figures on the introduction status of Hib vaccine,
pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), rotavirus vaccine, and inactivated polio vaccine
(IPV)* both globally and in 73 Gavi countries (currently eligible and graduating countries).
It uses information stored in the Vaccine Information Management System (VIMS) online
database maintained by IVAC at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
and supported by Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance; the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; and
The Task Force for Global Health. The images and text describe: the number of countries
that have introduced each vaccine or plan to in the future, global and Gavi rates of vaccine
coverage and access, historical trends in the rate of global vaccine introduction, and the
introduction status of every country individually. The report concludes with a more de-
tailed description of VIMS and its potential uses.
January 2015 Rotavirus and Invasive Bacterial Diseases bulletins Jillian Murray, WHO Headquarters
The World Health Organization-coordinated Rotavirus and Invasive Bacterial Vaccine Preventable Disease surveil-
lance networks have reported data globally since 2008 as part of the new and under-utilized vaccine preventable dis-
eases surveillance network. The data is assessed for trends in diseases in hospitalized children less than five years of
age and published bi-annually as surveillance bulletins. The data is also used by Ministries of Health for decisions on
vaccine introduction and use. The January 2015 bulletins have been published and include clinical surveillance data
from hospitals globally and results from the Reference Laboratories for 2013.
Among sentinel sites meeting performance inclusion criteria in the rotavirus surveillance network, rotavirus
positivity among children <1 year of age was 17% in WHO Member States that had introduced vaccine prior to 2013
as compared to 46% in WHO Member States that had not introduced vaccine (Figure).
The bulletins can be found at this link.
**Inclusion criteria: 1) Reported data for each month of the 12 month period, and 2) tested stool specimens
from > 50 children in Member States that introduced rotavirus vaccine or > 100 children in Member States that
have not introduced rotavirus vaccine.
**17 Member States introduced rotavirus vaccine; 25 Member States have not introduced rotavirus vaccine
Data from the WHO-coordinated Global Rotavirus Surveillance Network as at October 2014.
Global Immunization News (GIN) February 2015
Page 18
Calendar 2015
March
3-4 Inaugural Conference of The International Association of Immunization Managers Istanbul, Turkey
9-13 AFRO East and South EPI Programme Managers’ Meeting Harare, Zimbabwe
16-20 AFRO West EPI Programme Managers’ Meeting Ouagadougou, Burkina
Faso
16-20 5th Meeting on Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Laboratory Network in the West-
ern Pacific Region
Nadi, Fiji
16-27 Gavi Independent Review Committee (IRC) for new proposals Geneva, Switzerland
19 USAID Immunization Partners' meeting Washington DC, USA
April
14-16 Meeting of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization Geneva, Switzerland
20-25 European Immunization Week EURO
27-29 21st EMR Regional Working Group on Gavi Djibouti
May
4-5 Gavi Programme & Policy Committee Geneva, Switzerland
11-13 Gavi High Level Review Panel (HLRP) Geneva, Switzerland
11-15 2015 Technet Consultation TBD, Thailand
18-23 68th World Health Assembly Geneva, Switzerland
30-2May 9th International Conference on Typhoid and other invasive salmonellosis Bali, Indonesia
June
8-12 WPRO Twenty-Fourth Meeting of the Technical Advisory
Group on Immunization and Vaccine-Preventable
Diseases (TAG)
Manila, Philippines
10-11 Gavi Alliance Board Meeting Geneva, Switzerland
15-19 SEARO Technical Advisory Group Meeting New Delhi, India (?)
23-25 Protect-Innovate-Accelerate (PIA) Meeting Sitges, Spain
29-2 Global Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network Meeting Geneva, Switzerland
July
20-24 Gavi High Level Review Panel (HLRP) Geneva, Switzerland
September
1-2 EURO VPI Programme Managers’ Meeting Antwerp, Belgium
3-4 EURO Polio EPI and Lab Managers’ Meeting Antwerp, Belgium
30-2
Oct
European Technical Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (ETAGE) Copenhagen, Denmark
Global Immunization News (GIN) February 2015
Page 19
October
7-8 Gavi Programme and Policy Committee Geneva, Switzerland
14-16 Gavi High Lever Review Panel (HLRP) Geneva, Switzerland
20-22 Meeting of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization Geneva, Switzerland
November
6-20 Gavi Independent Review Committee (IRC) for new proposals Geneva, Switzerland
December
2-3 Gavi Board Meeting Geneva, Switzerland
Page 20
WHO Regional Websites Routine Immunization and New Vaccines (AFRO)
Immunization (PAHO)
Vaccine-preventable diseases and immunization (EMRO)
Vaccines and immunization (EURO)
Immunization (SEARO)
Immunization (WPRO)
Newsletters Immunization Monthly update in the African Region (AFRO) Immunization Newsletter (PAHO) The Civil Society Dose (GAVI CSO Constituency) TechNet Digest RotaFlash (PATH) Gavi Programme Bulletin (Gavi)
Organizations and Initiatives American Red Cross Child Survival Agence de Médecine Préventive Africhol EpiVacPlus LOGIVAC Project SIVAC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Polio Global Vaccines and Immunization Johns Hopkins International Vaccine Access Center Vaccine Information Management System JSI Africa Routine Immunization Systems Essentials Project IMMUNIZATIONbasics Maternal and Child Health Integrated Program (MCHIP) PAHO ProVac Initiative PATH Vaccine Resource Library Rotavirus Vaccine Access and Delivery Malaria Vaccine Initiative Meningitis Vaccine Project RHO Cervical Cancer
Sabin Vaccine Institute Sustainable Immunization Financing UNICEF Immunization Supplies and Logistics USAID Maternal and Child Health Integrated Program WHO Department of Immunization, Vaccines & Biologicals New and Under-utilized Vaccines Implementation ICO Information Centre on HPV and Cancer Immunization financing Immunization service delivery Immunization surveillance, assessment and monitoring SIGN Alliance Other Coalition Against Typhoid Dengue Vaccine Initiative European Vaccine Initiative Gardasil Access Program Gavi the Vaccine Alliance International Association of Public Health Logisticians International Vaccine Institute Measles & Rubella Initiative Multinational Influenza Seasonal Mortality Study TechNet-21 Vaccines Today
UNICEF Regional Websites Immunization (Central and Eastern Europe)
Immunization (Eastern and Southern Africa)
Immunization (South Asia)
Immunization (West and Central Africa)
Child survival (Middle East and Northern Africa)
Health and nutrition (East Asia and Pacific)
Health and nutrition (Americas)
Links
Global Immunization News (GIN) February 2015