EYE Strategy February 2021 newsletter

Thursday, 04 March 2021

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February Newsletter

The EYE partnership has had a busy start to 2021. As expected, many of our partners and colleagues remain committed to ensure yellow fever (YF) activities are on track, despite the complexity of the ongoing COVID-19 response and vaccination rollout, as well as on the recent Ebola outbreak in Guinea, West Africa.

Senegal

Despite the ongoing challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, the YF vaccination campaign was successfully launched on 15th February 2021, and is aiming to protect 769,799 people aged 9 months to 60 years. The campaign will span 8 health districts in the country.

Guinea

The YF vaccination campaign was officially launched on 16th February 2021, and EYE country colleagues have been working with local officials and health workers to coordinate efforts and engage the community. The campaign aims to protect 147, 536 people aged 9 months to 60 years. The vaccination teams will screen for people who have previously been vaccinated.

Darfur, Sudan 2012. Reactive YF vaccination campaign

Hospital of Menkao, Kinshasha, DRC 2016. Reactive YF vaccination campaign.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Plans for preventive mass vaccination campaigns (PMVCs) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), targeting approximately 18 million people aged 9 months to 60 years, were delayed in 2020 due to COVID-19. It is anticipated they will commence in March 2021. Further updates to follow.

Sudan

Sudan continues to plan for YF vaccinations as a part of its programme of routine immunization (RI) in the country, amongst a number of ongoing challenges, including COVID-19. The strategy includes protecting the influx of refugees and displaced people from neighbouring countries.

Meet our partners

Almost 70 million Nigerians have been vaccinated since the EYE Strategy launch. Nigeria is a high-risk country for YF, with over 160 million people at risk of the disease. As a priority country, we are profiling two of our valued partners, who are helping us to implement the EYE Strategy within the country, often in challenging circumstances.

Dr Anne Eudes Jean Baptiste, Medical Officer
World Health Organization (WHO), Nigeria

Haitian born Dr Anne Eudes Jean Baptiste is a Medical Officer for WHO Nigeria. Anne holds a Doctorate in Medicine, a Master's in Public Health, and a PhD in Epidemiology.

Anne joined WHO Nigeria in 2018 as the Medical Officer for Supplemental Immunization Activities, where she supports national authorities in reducing morbidity, disability and mortality due to vaccine preventable diseases (VPD). This is by improving access and utilization of immunization services.

She coordinated the planning and implementation of large-scale campaigns, including YF PMVCs and reactive campaigns, and a complex, combined Meningitis A and YF campaign in high-risk states. Prior to this, she managed multifaceted projects for the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Dr Terna Nomhwange, National Surveillance Officer
WHO Country Office (WCO), Nigeria

Dr Terna Nomhwange is a Nigerian Medical Doctor with post-graduate qualifications from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and is currently pursuing a Doctorate.

He works at the WCO in the Universal Health Coverage (UCN) Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPD) cluster.

As the EYE focal person in Nigeria, he provides technical guidance to the country teams for the development and implementation of the countries' accelerated EYE strategy plan 2018-2023. This focuses on mass vaccination campaigns, investigation, response to outbreaks and supporting efforts around ports of entry and the reduction of international spread.

Events

Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Yellow Fever Diagnostic Training Workshop

Date: 8-12 March, 2021
Location: Central Public Health Laboratory (CPHL), Yaba Lagos
Contact: Maurice Demanou (Regional Yellow Fever Laboratory Coordinator for Africa) This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; Celestina Obiekea (NCDC Adviser) This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Smart vaccine certificate workshop
Date: February 2020 launch
Location: online

Coordinated by the Smart Vaccination Certificate Consortium, hosted by the WHO Digital Health and Innovation (DHI) department. Participants include representation from core EYE partners, such as Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF, WHO Department of Immunization Vaccines and Biologicals (IVB) and WHE (World Health Emergency) divisions.

Further information on the Smart Vaccination Certificate Consortium can be found here.

Vacancies

We are recruiting. Please see below for roles and application process.

Epidemiologist (P2) - 4 months

To update country profiles for YF high-risk countries in Africa and Americas. Click here to apply.

Proposal Development Support Specialist (P3) - 3 months (with possibility of extension to 6)

To develop a resource mobilization plan for YF prevention and control activities in Africa and the Americas. Click here to apply.

Preparedness, Readiness and Response Planning Specialist (P4) - 3 months (with possibility of extension to 6)

To develop a preparedness, readiness and response plan for YF outbreaks in urban settings. Click here to apply.

Expressions of interest

Laboratory diagnostics

An expression of interest (EOI) on rapid diagnostic (RDTs) and serological tests has been recently published to the WHO website. We invite you to share this with potential bidders. Please click here for further information.

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EYE Strategy February 2021 newsletter

February Newsletter

Expressions of interest

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