Strengthening the Partnership Between Routine Immunization and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative to Achieve Eradication and Assure Sustainability

The many challenges in the Eastern Mediterranean region put the involved countries at risk of polio transmission and affect their ability to meet progress targets in eliminating vaccine-preventable diseases. The Global Health Development (GHD) and Eastern Mediterranean Public Health Network (EMPHNET) are working together on the project “Strengthening sustainable public health capacity in the Eastern Mediterranean region for polio eradication and routine immunization activities” with an overall goal of improving routine immunization, eradicating poliovirus, and controlling/eliminating or eradicating other vaccine-preventable diseases in the Eastern Mediterranean region. The aim of this manuscript is to describe the project and the achievements of GHD/EMPHNET over the last 3 years (2016-2018) to build effective surveillance and immunization systems in the Eastern Mediterranean region through the development of a sustainable and competent public health system to eradicate polio and control/eliminate vaccine-preventable diseases. This project assists the targeted Eastern Mediterranean region countries to build effective surveillance and immunization systems in an effort to expand their capacities to eradicate polio and control/eliminate other vaccine-preventable diseases. The project is streamlined with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Strategic Framework for Global Immunization 2016-2020, and the Polio Eradication and Endgame Strategic Plan 2013-2018. The project also supports the Global Health Security Agenda by focusing on efforts to accelerate progress toward a world safe and secure from infectious disease threats. Project activities were designed to respond to countries’ needs and assist them in building their institutional and workforce capacity to effectively plan, implement, and evaluate activities to eradicate polio and strengthen routine immunization activities. The project activities covered a set of areas including surveillance of acute flaccid paralysis and other vaccine-preventable diseases, family and community engagement, workforce capacity building, improvement of data quality, management and use of information systems, use of polio assets to control/eliminate other vaccine-preventable diseases, support of countries to develop national strategies, piloting of innovative initiatives, program evaluation and accountability, and immunization strengthening. The project adopts the Global Polio Eradication Initiative strategies for assisting countries to strengthen routine immunization services, maintain highly sensitive acute flaccid paralysis surveillance, and sustain polio eradication functions.

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Contribution of Global Polio Eradication Initiative–Funded Personnel to the Strengthening of Routine Immunization Programs in the 10 Focus Countries of the Polio Eradication and Endgame Strategic Plan

The Journal of Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/infdis/jiw567 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 216 (suppl_1) ◽

pp. S244-S249 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Maya M. V. X. van den Ent ◽

Rachel D. Swift ◽

Sameer Anaokar ◽

Lea Anne Hegg ◽

Rudolf Eggers ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Strategic Plan ◽

Polio Eradication ◽

Routine Immunization ◽

Immunization Programs ◽

Global Polio Eradication Initiative

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Moving from oral poliovirus vaccine to inactivated poliovirus vaccine: The rationale and challenges

Bangladesh Journal of Medicine ◽

10.3329/bjm.v31i1.44749 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 31 (1) ◽

pp. 22-28 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Kazi Zulfiquer Mamun ◽

Nabeela Mahboob ◽

Kazi Taib Mamun ◽

Hasina Iqbal

Keyword(s):

Oral Polio Vaccine ◽

Sole Source ◽

Polio Eradication ◽

Oral Poliovirus Vaccine ◽

Routine Immunization ◽

Inactivated Polio Vaccine ◽

Polio Vaccine ◽

The Past ◽

Global Polio Eradication Initiative

Oral polio vaccine (OPV) has served as the cornerstone of polio eradication efforts over the past 30 years, trivalent inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) has re-ascended to prominence in the past year, now acting as the sole source of protective immunity against type 2 poliovirus in routine immunization programmes. The Polio Eradication and Endgame Strategic plan 2013–2018, developed by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) outlines the phased removal of OPVs, starting with type 2 poliovirus–containing vaccines and introduction of inactivated polio vaccine in routine immunization to mitigate against risk of vaccine-associated paralytic polio and circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus. Bangladesh J Medicine Jan 2020; 31(1) : 22-28

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Methods for evaluating the impact of vertical programs on health systems: protocol for a study on the impact of the global polio eradication initiative on strengthening routine immunization and primary health care

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/1471-2458-12-728 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Svea Closser ◽

Anat Rosenthal ◽

Thomas Parris ◽

Kenneth Maes ◽

Judith Justice ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Primary Health Care ◽

Health Systems ◽

Polio Eradication ◽

Routine Immunization ◽

Primary Health ◽

Global Polio Eradication Initiative ◽

The Impact

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A Collaborative Initiative to Strengthen Sustainable Public Health Capacity for Polio Eradication and Routine Immunization Activities in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.14664 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Magid Al Gunaid ◽

Faris Lami ◽

Najwa Jarour

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Mediterranean Region ◽

Eastern Mediterranean ◽

Eastern Mediterranean Region ◽

Polio Eradication ◽

Routine Immunization ◽

Vaccine Preventable Diseases ◽

Global Polio Eradication Initiative ◽

Eradicate Polio ◽

And Control

UNSTRUCTURED The many challenges in the Eastern Mediterranean region put the involved countries at risk of polio transmission and affect their ability to meet progress targets in eliminating vaccine-preventable diseases. The Global Health Development (GHD) and Eastern Mediterranean Public Health Network (EMPHNET) are working together on the project “Strengthening sustainable public health capacity in the Eastern Mediterranean region for polio eradication and routine immunization activities” with an overall goal of improving routine immunization, eradicating poliovirus, and controlling/eliminating or eradicating other vaccine-preventable diseases in the Eastern Mediterranean region. The aim of this manuscript is to describe the project and the achievements of GHD/EMPHNET over the last 3 years (2016-2018) to build effective surveillance and immunization systems in the Eastern Mediterranean region through the development of a sustainable and competent public health system to eradicate polio and control/eliminate vaccine-preventable diseases. This project assists the targeted Eastern Mediterranean region countries to build effective surveillance and immunization systems in an effort to expand their capacities to eradicate polio and control/eliminate other vaccine-preventable diseases. The project is streamlined with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Strategic Framework for Global Immunization 2016-2020, and the Polio Eradication and Endgame Strategic Plan 2013-2018. The project also supports the Global Health Security Agenda by focusing on efforts to accelerate progress toward a world safe and secure from infectious disease threats. Project activities were designed to respond to countries’ needs and assist them in building their institutional and workforce capacity to effectively plan, implement, and evaluate activities to eradicate polio and strengthen routine immunization activities. The project activities covered a set of areas including surveillance of acute flaccid paralysis and other vaccine-preventable diseases, family and community engagement, workforce capacity building, improvement of data quality, management and use of information systems, use of polio assets to control/eliminate other vaccine-preventable diseases, support of countries to develop national strategies, piloting of innovative initiatives, program evaluation and accountability, and immunization strengthening. The project adopts the Global Polio Eradication Initiative strategies for assisting countries to strengthen routine immunization services, maintain highly sensitive acute flaccid paralysis surveillance, and sustain polio eradication functions.

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Use of Call Centers in Polio Eradication Efforts in Island Settlement in Chad

Journal of Immunological Sciences ◽

10.29245/2578-3009/2021/s2.1113 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol Special Issue (2) ◽

pp. 87-93

Author(s):

Adele Daleke Lisi Aluma ◽

Sam Koulmini ◽

Souley Kalilou ◽

Obianuju Igweonu ◽

Felix Amadou Kouassi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Call Centers ◽

Immunization Coverage ◽

Oral Polio Vaccine ◽

Polio Eradication ◽

Routine Immunization ◽

Community Leaders ◽

African Region ◽

Global Polio Eradication Initiative ◽

Telephone Calls ◽

Immunization Campaign

Background: One of the four key strategies of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) is high immunization coverage, with oral polio vaccine as part of routine immunization schedules. However, given the weak routine immunization structures in the African Region, coverage is enhanced with supplemental immunization activities (SIAs), and mop-up immunizations. Unfortunately, anecdotal information show that vaccination teams sometimes omit some catchments areas without immunization. This paper thus describes the use of “Call Centers” in detecting missed populations and taking prompt corrective action. Method: The study was based on review of call records during polio supplemental immunization campaigns in Bol Districts in Chad from February to May 2018. The immunization coverage resulting from these campaigns was compared with that of February 2018. A compilation of data – details on communities, community leaders, and their phone numbers was performed. On the eve of the campaign, community leaders were alerted on the vaccinators’ visitThe community leaders were called on the eve of the campaign to alert them on the visit of the vaccinators. At the end of each day, activities (visits as well) were reviewed at the coordination centres Vaccinators were asked to return to any community where community leaders did not confirm visits). Result: Telephone calls allowed the verification and confirmation of the vaccinators visits in 92% of cases. Villages where vaccination was planned but which were not reached were revisited. More than 1,011 children were caught up through this approach in 10 villages in the Bol district. Conclusion: In conclusion, call centers played significantly higher role in generating covering more children with immunization during immunization campaign.

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Some lessons for malaria from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative

Malaria Journal ◽

10.1186/s12936-021-03690-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Matiana González-Silva ◽

N. Regina Rabinovich

Keyword(s):

Polio Eradication ◽

Vaccine Virus ◽

Surveillance Systems ◽

Polio Virus ◽

History Of ◽

Eradication Campaign ◽

Global Polio Eradication Initiative ◽

Governance Strategy ◽

Malaria Eradication ◽

Near Future

AbstractThe Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) was launched in 1988 with the aim of completely clearing wild polio viruses by 2000. More than three decades later, the goal has not been achieved, although spectacular advances have been made, with wild polio virus reported in only 2 countries in 2019. In spite of such progress, novel challenges have been added to the equation, most importantly outbreaks of vaccine-derived polio cases resulting from reversion to neurovirulence of attenuated vaccine virus, and insufficient coverage of vaccination. In the context of the latest discussions on malaria eradication, the GPEI experience provides more than a few lessons to the malaria field when considering a coordinated eradication campaign. The WHO Strategic Advisory Committee on Malaria Eradication (SAGme) stated in 2020 that in the context of more than 200 million malaria cases reported, eradication was far from reach in the near future and, therefore, efforts should remain focused on getting back on track to achieve the objectives set by the Global Technical Strategy against Malaria (2016–2030). Acknowledging the deep differences between both diseases and the stages they are in their path towards eradication, this paper draws from the history of GPEI and highlights relevant insights into what it takes to eradicate a pathogen in fields as varied as priority setting, global governance, strategy, community engagement, surveillance systems, and research. Above all, it shows the critical need for openness to change and adaptation as the biological, social and political contexts vary throughout the time an eradication campaign is ongoing.

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