The partners,initiatives, alliances, groups and meetings within world of the Expanded Programme on Immunization Quick overview 25-September-2012 GID presentation (A. Wallace)

THE PARTNERS

National Ministries of Health Usual activities – Operate a country’s immunization program – Employ/hire vaccinators / health staff – Operate the vaccine supply chain

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, Global Headquarters (HQ) Location – Geneva Usual activities – Provide guidance on multiple immunization policies – Develop strategic directions for global program Structure/staff – Headquarters in Geneva under Immunizations, Vaccines and Biologicals (IVB) group and the Polio group – Approximately ~40 staff

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, Regional offices Usual activities – Provide technical support for country WHO offices in region and work through country offices to support countries where needed Six regional offices – European office (EURO): Copenhagen – Western Pacific office (WPRO): Manila – South-East Asian office (SEARO): New Delhi – Eastern Mediterranean office (EMRO): Cairo – Americas Office: Run by the Pan American Regional Organization (PAHO) - see next slide – African office (AFRO): Brazzaville (AFRO also has 3 sub-regional offices called intercountry support teams (ISTs) which support specific countries IST-West Africa in Ouagadougou; IST-Central Africa in Libreville; IST-East/South Africa in Harare

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, country offices Usual activities – Provide technical support for country’s Ministry of Health – Usually strongly support surveillance – May support operations research Structure/staff – Usually the WHO country office has an immunization team – May have surveillance officers scattered throughout country

Pan American Health Organization Affiliated with the World Health Organization but essentially run the UN’s immunization teams / focal points in each country of the Americas PAHO country offices exist on all countries of the Americas

UNICEF Structured vary similarly to WHO – Headquarters: New York – Regional offices exist but in different locations from WHO – Most developing countries have UNICEF country offices Usual responsibilities at country level – Vaccine purchasing and strong support for vaccine supply chain – Major focus on child survival so often support integrated health initiatives (child health days)

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Location: Seattle Major funders of all global immunization initiatives Have a polio eradication team and a routine immunization team at their HQ Have some country offices: India, China

PATH Location: Seattle Work extensively on new technologies for vaccine such as: – Needle-free vaccination, new vaccines, cold chain equipment improvements, computerized record- keeping

CDC, Atlanta Location: Atlanta Provide technical support to WHO, UNICEF and Ministries of Health Conduct operations research on a variety of topics Programmatic support and funding to WHO and UNICEF for vaccine purchasing, staffing

GAVI Alliance The major agency for funding new vaccine purchases, immunization system strengthening and other activities Funding by multiple other partners including BMGF

Others key partners Rotary International – Key partner for the global polio eradication initiative Sabin Vaccine Institute – Economics research PROVAC – Economics research

INITIATIVES, ALLIANCES AND GROUPS

Initiatives Measles-Rubella Initiative – Aim to eliminate measles in multiple countries worldwide – Founding Partners: WHO, UNICEF, Red Cross, CDC, UN Foundation Global Polio Eradication Initiative – Aim to eradicate polio worldwide – Founding Partners: WHO, UNICEF, CDC, Rotary Yellow Fever Initiative – Aim to reduce yellow fever outbreaks in 12 countries

Groups TECHNET21 – Online group of immunization professionals – Excellent resource library – SAGE – Strategic Advisory Group of Experts – Organized by WHO/UNICEF to provide expert consultation on major global immunization policies and direction

MEETINGS

Key global meetings WHO and UNICEF usually organize annual regional immunization managers’ meetings Annual MR Initiative meeting Bi-annual Global Immunization Meeting