Global Immunization Newsletter - February 2023
Message by the Director of the Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals at WHO
WHO, along with the IA2030 partners, has established 2023 as an intensified year of action on immunization. This call to action recognizes the importance for country immunization programmes to assess the impact of the pandemic on their programme performance and course correct where needed. This may involve the need to catch-up the accumulated zero-dose children through a variety of programmatic approaches; to recover the programmatic performance of DTP1 coverage to at least the levels of 2019 (pre-pandemic); and to strengthen the immunization programme so that DTP1 coverage is better than the pre-pandemic levels and, on a trajectory, to achieve 2025 and 2030 zero-dose goals (i.e., half the number of 2019 zero-dose children by 2030).
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Upcoming meetings
• 15-16 February 2023: Meeting on HPV vaccination for NITAGs and national immunization programme managers from 12 middle-income countries in EURO - Vienna, Austria
• 1-2 March 2023: EURO Immunization Programme Managers’ Meeting - Izmir, Türkiye
• 13-16 March 2023: Workshop on WHO Immunization Information Systems (WIIISE) for submission and management of vaccine-preventable diseases surveillance data - Istanbul, Türkiye
• 14-16 March 2023: 14th International Rotavirus Symposium - Bali, Indonesia
• 15 March 2023: Meeting of European Technical Advisory Group of Experts Working Group (ETAGE) on Hepatitis B - Copenhagen, Denmark
• 20 – 23 March 2023: WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) - Geneva, Switzerland
• 28-30 March 2023: Global Vaccine and Immunization Research Forum (GVIRF) - Incheon, South Korea
• 23-29 April 2023: European Immunization Week
• 24-30 April 2023: World Immunization Week (Global)
• 21-30 May 2023: 76th Session of the World Health Assembly (WHA 76) - Geneva, Switzerland
To contribute, please click on this link to submit an event/article by Friday 24 February 2023.
News/features
WHO updates recommendations on HPV vaccination schedule
This position paper is timely in the context of a deeply concerning decline in HPV vaccination coverage globally. Between 2019 and 2021, coverage of the first dose of HPV vaccination fell by 25% to 15%. This means 3.5 million more girls missed out on HPV vaccination in 2021 compared to 2019.
39 000 protected ahead of Lao PDR’s first post-pandemic National Games
While Lao PDR’s national primary series COVID-19 vaccination sits at 75%, booster coverage lags at 27%. The gap is prominent among the elderly, rural and ethnic communities. Addressing this gap ahead of the National Games, the Ministry of Health in collaboration with Ministry of Home Affairs launched a campaign targeting more than 100 communities.
Azerbaijan boosts its vaccine cold chain system
To strengthen Azerbaijan’s national vaccine cold chain system, the WHO Country Office in Azerbaijan has in the past year facilitated the procurement of cold chain equipment, including fridges and vaccine carriers, and trained local health-care staff on the use of the equipment and what procedures to initiate in different scenarios.
Monitoring coverage of integrated public health interventions – online course
This online course is the result of reviewing and integrating concepts and methodologies that draw on the experiences and lessons learned in different countries, with the aim of facilitating joint interventions and activities for monitoring the existing health programs and platforms.
Advisory group urges countries to prioritize protecting the most vulnerable with COVID-19 vaccination
The independent European Technical Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (ETAGE) has advised countries to increase efforts to achieve high COVID-19 vaccination coverage (primary and booster dose) among high-risk groups and to plan for the integration of COVID-19 vaccination into routine health-care strategies.
Implementation of EPI performance indicators using EIR data in Bolivia
The Americas have progressed with their Electronic Immunization Registry (EIR), considering data development, implementation, and use. An example of this takes place in Bolivia, which started EIR implementation in 2018 with routine vaccination.
New publications/resources
Electronic Joint Reporting Form on Immunization – celebrating 2 years
Two years ago, a revolutionary electronic system was launched to collect immunization data from around the globe. This system, known as the Electronic Joint Reporting Form on Immunization, has had a profound impact on the world of public health.
SAGE October 2022 report published
The Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization held a meeting on 3-6 October 2022. This report summarizes the discussions, conclusions and recommendations.
Vaccine-preventable disease update: reported diphtheria cases in the WHO European Region, 2022
Diphtheria is considered uncommon in the WHO European Region, as of the over 96 000 diphtheria cases reported globally in 2012–2021, only 452 cases were reported in the Region. However, between 1 January and 20 December 2022, 391 diphtheria cases were detected in the Region and reported.
Updated Gavi Application Templates & Guidelines now available
These updated guidelines are of importance to any Gavi country, Gavi partners, and consultants, who are engaging in a Full Portfolio Planning (FPP) process for Gavi support or those who plan to apply for Equity Accelerator Funding (EAF).
Announcements
Call for contributions for a pre-congress workshop on immunization economics at IHEA 2023
The workshop will be focused on building capacity to generate economic evidence supporting immunization policy making and program management.
Past meetings/workshops
