EYE Newsletter September 2020

Friday, 02 October 2020

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EYE Strategy

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Date: 02 October 2020

Progress towards resolving challenges with PPE

The large-scale yellow fever (YF) preventive mass vaccination campaigns (PMVCs) aiming to protect over 60 million people from YF in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ghana and Nigeria were delayed due to challenges to procure and fund Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) supplies for safe implementation in the COVID-19 context. The EYE strategy’s Secretariat in WHE/WHO, with partners such as the Gates Foundation, Gavi, UNICEF and US CDC, have been advocating for a timely solution to address all gaps in IPC supplies, including personal protective equipment (PPE). Even though challenging, this is of critical importance to ensure these vital PMVCs can be implemented in 2020 and essential health services sustained.

This challenge has been partly resolved through decisive and agile action by the Operation Support & Logistics (OSL) unit of WHO’s Health Emergency Programme (WHE) which secured 2.4 million masks to support safe implementation in the DRC, Ghana and Nigeria of all YF PMVCs until Q1 2021.

Despite this decisive action, solutions need to be found to address remaining gaps in PPE. These solutions should ideally be local. However, countries face competing priorities for resources and attention. EYE partners are therefore called to support advocacy and resource mobilization activities for the local procurement of IPC supplies such as hand sanitizers, soap, gloves and thermometers, as needed, and to plan for longer term solutions.

Updates on the 2020 YF Campaigns in Africa

PMVCs:
Nigeria plans to implement its postponed PMVC in Anambra State as well as its accelerated phase 4 PMVCs between Q4 2020 and Q1 2021 to protect > 36 million people. The postponed Anambra campaign from 2019 is scheduled to run from 16 to 25 October. This will be followed by campaigns in Benue, Delta, Ondo, Osun and Oyo States from November 20 to 29 and campaigns in Bauchi and Borno States from February 19 to 28, 2021.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) plans to implement its PMVCs aiming to protect > 18.4 million people in 2 phases scheduled for 7 and 14 December, respectively. Active coordination and planning are underway with EYE country coordination calls held monthly.

Ghana plans to implement its postponed PMVC from November 25 to 29, aiming to protect an additional 5.6 million people and mark completion of nationwide protection.

Reactive vaccination campaigns (RVCs):
Ethiopia plans to implement its YF RVC to protect > 700,000 people from 23-29 October 2020.

South Sudan plans to implement its YF RVC to protect 93,000 people in Kajo Keji County, Central Equatoria State from 19 to 25 October.

Successful Gavi application re-submission by Uganda

As a country at high-risk for YF, Uganda has once more demonstrated its commitment to eliminate the risk of outbreaks by re-submitting applications for YF vaccination support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. The application will be reviewed by the Gavi Independent Review Committee (IRC) in November. If recommended for approval, Uganda plans to introduce YF vaccination into RI (2021) and implement nationwide PMVCs (2022 to 2024). The Ugandan health ministry and related agencies are to be congratulated for their commitment to ensure protection of their populations against YF.

Guidance to support immunization in the COVID-19 context

To enable continuation of essential services such as YF prevention and control activities during the COVID-19 pandemic, WHO and partners are developing and publishing country and technical guidance documents. Most of the published documents are available through the WHO publications hub.

Complementary immunization training resources are available on the training section of WHO's Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals department's webpage, including links to 3 videos developed by IA Watch (Immunization Academy) on IPC for Immunization in the COVID-19 context. These videos are available in English, French and Spanish: