Global Immunization Newsletter - May 2023
Message by the Director of the Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals, WHO
World Immunization Week (WIW) 2023, which ended on April 30, marked the beginning of the “The Big Catch-up,” a global push to highlight the number of children who missed essential vaccines during the pandemic vaccinate and support countries return to pre-pandemic vaccination levels. My deepest appreciation goes to everyone who took part in making this campaign memorable while we keep the momentum around “The Big Catch-up” moving forward.
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Upcoming meetings
• 21-30 May 2023: 76th Session of the World Health Assembly (WHA 76) - Geneva, Switzerland
• 26 May 2023: WHA Strategic Roundtable “A safer and healthier tomorrow by restoring essential immunization today” - Geneva, UN Palais, Room XVIII
• 14-15 June 2023: Game-based learning platform “Immune Patrol” – cross-country programmatic meeting, Yerevan, Armenia
• 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
Beyond the numbers: the real-world impact of the first malaria vaccine in Kenya
Four years after the introduction of the malaria vaccine in parts of Kenya, the feedback received was extremely positive. The malaria vaccine pilots have reached nearly 1.5 million children with at least one dose of malaria vaccine in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi since 2019, with support from the WHO-coordinated pilot programme.
Mothers in Malawi value the malaria vaccine
In April 2019, Gilimbeta took her daughter Lusitana to a rural health facility on the outskirts of Lilongwe, Malawi, for vaccination. At the time, she did not realize that her infant daughter was being written into history: the 5-month-old was the first child to receive the world’s first malaria vaccine, RTS,S, as part of the Malaria Vaccine Implementation Programme, MVIP.
Countries in the European Region stepping up to stop the spread of measles
Measles has been reported in 17 countries of the WHO European Region since the start of 2023. Over 900 cases were reported by the end of February, exceeding the total number reported for all of 2022.
More countries reaching hepatitis B control targets
Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan have reached regional hepatitis B control targets set by the Action Plan for the Health Sector Response to Viral Hepatitis in the WHO European Region
The vital role of immunization data management
Aligning to the principles of IA2030 and adapting to the regional context, the WHO Europe region endorsed the European IA2030 (EIA2030) in 2021, emphasizing the need to have evidence-based tailored local strategies to meet local needs.
Africa Region joins World Immunization Week
For the 13th year, the AFRO Region synchronized with the other 5 WHO regions to commemorate the World Immunization Week, from 24-30 April 2023.
European Immunization Week 2023 and beyond
Joint statement by Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe; Ms Stella Kyriakides, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety; Ms Afshan Khan, UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia.
New publications/resources
Health in Europe podcast: Can vaccines prevent cancer?
Dr Nino Berdzuli, the Director of the Division of Country Health Programs at the WHO Regional Office for Europe, the progress made by the WHO European Region in addressing cancer and how vaccines can prevent certain types of cancers – such as cancers caused by HPV.
Evaluation report for the training module “Communicating with patients about COVID-19 vaccination”: Greece
An evaluation of the training module and its implementation in Greece, allowed 118 health workers from all over Greece to participate. Data for the evaluation were generated using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods.
Past meetings/workshops
• Launch: Special Issue of Vaccines on 'Inequality in Immunization'
(25 April 2023)
• Life Course Approach Comprehensive & Inclusive Vision for Today’s Health Systems
(27-31 March 2023)
• Collaborative approach for data visualization dashboard for routine vaccination coverage monitoring in Guatemala (May 2023)
Announcements
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