Global Immunization Newsletter - June 2023
Message by the Director of the Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals, WHO
Since the last GIN in May, we concluded a highly active 76th World Health Assembly (WHA76), focused on accelerating progress towards 2030 global health goals and future pandemic preparedness. The assembly was a key moment in the drumbeat towards the 79th UN General Assembly (UNGA 79) in September 2024. UNGA will have a health focus this year, with High-Level meetings on anti-microbial resistance, tuberculosis (TB), and Universal Health Coverage (UHC), each of which have substantive roles for vaccines and immunization
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Upcoming meetings
• 27-30 June 2023: WHO Sub-regional training workshop on quality assurance and data management in vaccine safety monitoring systems, Frankfurt, Germany;
• 12-13 July 2023: Poliovirus Containment HQ/Regional Office meeting, Geneva, Switzerland;
• 18 July 2023: Publication of the official WHO and UNICEF estimates of national immunization coverage (WUENIC);
• 16-17 August 2023: Polio RLL meeting, Paris, France;
• 7-8 September 2023: Thirty-seventh meeting of the European Regional Commission for the Certification of Poliomyelitis Eradication (RCC), Copenhagen, Denmark;
• 26-27 September 2023: Meeting of National Poliovirus Containment Coordinators in the European Region;
• 9-11 October 2023: European Measles and Rubella LabNet meeting
News/features
Supporting vaccinations and strengthening health systems in 16 African countries
An EU-funded WHO-implemented project helped health systems become more resilient and better prepared to tackle future epidemics of vaccine-preventable diseases.
Improving the coverage of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine in Gujarat, India
The Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) was introduced under the Universal Immunization Program in Gujarat in October 2021. In July 2022, the administrative coverage for PCV-1 was only 56%. In response, the state health department with technical support from John Snow India, developed a comprehensive coverage improvement plan.
Going door-to-door in North Macedonia to address immunization inequities
Thirty medical teams visited families in over 120 settlements with marginalized communities in North Macedonia as part of a door-to-door campaign funded by the European Union. The aim of the campaign was to address and reduce vaccination inequities.
New WHO initiative among efforts to protect the vulnerable from vaccine-preventable diseases in Ukraine
The protection of people at high risk of infectious diseases, particularly COVID-19, was at the centre of a national conference in Ukraine, held on 3 May, following European Immunization Week.
WHO supports the catch-up of zero-dose children in Tchirozerine Health District (Agadez region, Niger)
At the end of February 2023, the Tchirozérine Health District had 552 zero-dose children accounting for 51% of the region's zero-dose children. This situation led WHO to focus its support on this district during March and April 2023, to catch up these zero-dose children.
Impact of the "Salud Sobre Ruedas" strategy on COVID-19 vaccination in Guatemala
Implemented from August 1st to October 31st, 2022, the strategy provided primary health care services including vaccination, food/nutritional security, reproductive health, and prevention of food and waterborne diseases.
New publications/resources
Country learnings in recovering from immunization coverage backsliding in the European Region
The contents of this article will be helpful for countries seeking to maintain, restore, and strengthen their immunization services and catch up missed children in the context of pandemic recovery.
Twenty-second meeting of the European Technical Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization
This issue of WHO EpiBrief provides an overview of selected epidemiological characteristics of measles and rubella in the WHO European Region based on monthly surveillance data for 2022. It also presents surveillance data on diphtheria for 2021.
Past meetings/workshops
