|
October EYE Strategy Newsletter
|
5th EYE annual partners’ meeting
Our 5th annual partners' meeting was another resounding success, engaging over 200 participants from more than 50 countries around the world; a strong indicator of the importance you place on yellow fever (YF) prevention and control. We recently sent you a summary of the meeting from Dr Laurence Cibrelus - Head of the EYE Strategy Secretariat. The summary of the meeting can be read in full here.
All event resources can be found here.
Key risks to the EYE Strategy
Our primary concerns are:
1. growing immunity gaps in areas with a history of preventive campaigns.
2. the resurgence of yellow fever outbreaks in West Africa, with major concerns in Central Africa. Further information on this critical point was addressed in Dr Laurence Cibrelus' presentation at the EYE Annual Partners' meeting. The presentation can be accessed here.
3. the continued risk of urban outbreaks with international spread.
4. the heightened risk in EYE 'No Regret' countries. These are countries which are deemed high risk, with large, vulnerable populations, and which are yet to complete large-scale preventive mass campaigns (Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo) or initiate them (Ethiopia).
The EYE partnership is working with its key stakeholders and working groups to ensure these risks are addressed and mitigated. We will keep you informed of these plans, as well as of ongoing acute events.
|
Still from DRC documentary on yellow fever vaccination campaigns in the DRC, 2021. Film can be viewed in full here.
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
The outstanding vaccination activities in the province of Équateur were launched in mid-November. Community engagement has helped to boost outreach. Bloc 3 campaigns are planned for late January, as reported last month. These campaigns are aiming to protect over 18 million people.
The Ebola outbreak is being monitored and any impact on activities in North Kivu will be reviewed accordingly.
Nigeria
As reported in previous months, Nigeria is planning multiple vaccination campaigns for yellow fever in 2021. These will take place in the states of Abia, Imo, Ebonyi, Taraba and Borno.
Each state's yellow fever campaign will be integrated with at least one other antigen. Vaccination campaigns in Borno, Abia, Imo and Ebonyi will combine yellow fever and measles.
The Taraba state campaign is planned as yellow fever, measles and Meningitis A. We are working with a local partner to produce short documentaries on the Taraba vaccination campaigns, which will be published early next year.
Ogun and Gombe state campaigns have been postponed to January 2022 due to the timing of the vaccine arrival.
Republic of Congo
There is a short delay in the yellow fever vaccination campaigns, which were due to begin in mid-November, These have now been postponed to February and will run through to March 2022. These campaigns aim to protect over 4 million people in almost all departments, except Pointe Noire.
Uganda
Uganda is prioritizing the monovalent type 2 oral polio (mOPV2) vaccination campaign in January 2022, and therefore, the routine immunization (RI) introduction for yellow fever is now scheduled for March 2022.
Sudan
All 18 states in Sudan have now introduced yellow fever into RI. In July 2021, the catch-up campaigns were completed in the River Nile and Northern states, with high coverage.
The other states were postponed due to the onset of the rainy season and due to be completed by the end of 2021.
|
EYE on yellow fever podcast
Episodes 6 and 7 of the podcast are now available. We are honoured to have exclusive interviews with Dr Kate O’Brien (Director of the Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals, World Health Organization (WHO)) and Dr Raman Velayudhan (Unit Head for Vector Control, Veterinary Public Health and Environment, WHO).
|
Episode 6: A perspective on vaccination with Dr Kate O’Brien
By 2026, the EYE Strategy aims to have ended yellow fever epidemics, and to have protected up to a billion people in Africa and the Americas with preventative vaccinations. This is allied with a broader vaccination framework: the Immunization Agenda 2030. In this episode, WHO Director of the Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals, Dr Kate O’Brien sets out the priorities of two strategies, and how they jointly make a global impact.
|
Episode 7: Charting breakthroughs with Dr Raman Velayudhan
From the initial development of the yellow fever vaccine to fractionated dosing in response to the 2016 Angola and DRC outbreaks, a key part of the yellow fever story has long been the dedication, commitment and intellect that has gone into advancing the science that combats the disease. But with climate change posing new risks in new parts of the world, what innovation is happening now to help control and minimize vector-borne diseases like yellow fever? We hear from Dr Raman Velayudhan, Unit Head for Vector Control, Veterinary Public Health and Environment at WHO.
|
Listen to both episodes by clicking on the images above. You can subscribe to the series on your chosen podcast app here or listen on the web here.
|
Yellow fever outbreak response in Delta State, Nigeria in 2020
The resurgence of yellow fever outbreaks in Nigeria: a 2-year review 2017-2019
Background
Yellow fever outbreaks are documented to have a considerable impact not only on the individuals, but on the health system, with significant economic implications. Efforts to eliminate yellow fever outbreaks globally through the EYE strategy remain important following outbreaks in Africa, Nigeria included. The outbreaks reported in Nigeria since 2017 and the response efforts, provide an opportunity to document and guide interventions for improving future control and prevention efforts in Nigeria, and other countries in Africa.
The full report can be accessed here.
Strengthening yellow fever laboratory testing capacities in South Sudan
Juba, 14 October 2021 – a team of technical officers in the National Public Health Laboratory have been trained over the last week, aiming at building their capacity to contribute to controlling yellow fever outbreaks.
South Sudan lies in the yellow fever belt and has reported 187 cases including 27 deaths reported in three separate outbreaks in 2003, 2018 and 2020. Moreover, in the absence of preventive mass vaccination campaigns, the risk of outbreaks remains high in the country. Strengthening national capacities for case detection, investigation, and testing is critical for effective yellow fever control.
With support from the Eliminate Yellow Fever Epidemics (EYE) partnership, including WHO, GAVI, UNICEF, CDC, and other health implementing partners, the Ministry of Health has trained Technical Officers in the National Public Health Laboratory on yellow fever laboratory testing and confirmation.
For the full press release,click here.
|
6th - 11th December 2021
Regional combined molecular and serology diagnostics training workshop for English-speaking African countries in Entebbe, Uganda, hosted by the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI).
7th December 2021 – 3pm to 5pm Central European Time
Webinar: Go.Data yellow fever outbreak investigation template
Go.Data is a country-focused outbreak investigation tool, designed to enable
|
flexible and timely field data collection, during yellow fever outbreaks and other public health emergencies. The tool is targeted at any outbreak responder.
This webinar is open to all our network to inform about the following:
-
Go.Data YF outbreak template
-
Overview of EYE's learning strategy
-
Opportunities for training, learning and development
To register for the webinar, please click here.
|
Upcoming Gavi application deadlines
|
Yellow Fever MAC ELISA training in Niamey, Niger – November 2021
|
Training for initial set up of MAC ELISA
Training for initial set up of MAC ELISA
|
Participants with the Yellow Fever Laboratory Co-ordinator, Dr Maurice Demanou
Biosafety Cabinet received by the Niger lab with with thanks to UNICEF Supply Division and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance
|
Yellow Fever MAC ELISA training in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – November 2021
|
Training at Arbovirus Lab, Ethiopian Public Health Institute
Reagents bundle received by Ethiopia with thanks to UNICEF Supply Division and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance
|
Participants with the Yellow Fever Laboratory Co-ordinator, Dr Maurice Demanou
|
|
|
Tell us your news!
We would love to showcase the work you are doing on protecting people from yellow fever. To submit your news, stories, photos and videos, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
|
| |
To subscribe to this newsletter, click here.
Follow us on social media. Click on the icons below.
To read the EYE Strategy, click here
To visit the WHO yellow fever pages, click here
To contact EYE, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Copyright © 2021 World Health Organization, All rights reserved.
|
|
|
