Immunization Matters: November 2022 news from PATH on vaccine uptake and access

 

News from PATH on vaccine uptake and access
 

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November 2022  |  Subscribe

 
 

 

   
 

In this issue

Experts share the evidence and public health impact of single-dose HPV vaccination

Understanding new vaccine introduction decision-making in Bangladesh

Pakistan completes national TCV introduction

Prequalification of malaria vaccine paves the way for increased access

Addressing immunization health worker morale using a human-centered design approach

Resources and opportunities

 
   
     

Experts share the evidence and public health impact of single-dose HPV vaccination

The Single-Dose Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine Evaluation Consortium, comprised of HPV vaccine experts from eight leading research institutions and public health organizations, recently released its fourth edition “Review of the current published evidence on single-dose HPV vaccination.” The full evidence review, as well as a general summary and technical synthesis, highlights key takeaways and includes current evidence from clinical trials, effectiveness and observational studies, and impact modeling. Translations of the evidence review’s accompanying summaries are forthcoming in French, Spanish, and Chinese.

Data show that single-dose HPV vaccination could substantially reduce the incidence of HPV-attributable cervical precancer and would be a high-value public health intervention. Based on the evidence, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization recently concluded that a single dose of HPV vaccine delivers solid protection and advised that countries may now choose between a one- or two-dose schedule for 9- to 14-year-old girls and women aged 15 to 20. Some countries, including the United Kingdom, are now considering a switch to a one-dose HPV vaccination schedule based on the compelling evidence gathered to date.

The Consortium will continue to evaluate new evidence regarding the value and effectiveness of a single-dose schedule to inform global policy discussions and program guidance, as well as raise awareness and understanding of its implications to national immunization programs.

 

Understanding new vaccine introduction decision-making in Bangladesh

In recent years, as Bangladesh has considered multiple new vaccines for introduction into the national immunization program, competing vaccine priorities and divergent expert views contributed to prolonged deliberations. This stalled progress on introduction of lifesaving childhood vaccines such as rotavirus, typhoid, and Japanese encephalitis, despite well-documented evidence of disease burden and the potential public health impact of these vaccines to reduce hospitalizations and prevent child deaths. PATH worked with stakeholders in Bangladesh to map the existing decision-making process for new vaccines, identify barriers and facilitators for introducing new vaccines, and illuminate which decision-making criteria emerged as most important to policymakers. The project concluded activities with a successful dissemination meeting in September 2022, where more than thirty national vaccine decision-makers discussed the study findings and endorsed recommendations for improving the new vaccine introduction decision-making process in Bangladesh. Bangladesh officials will use the results of this project to streamline and clarify their decision-making process to be more standardized, sustainable, transparent, and locally owned. image

Pakistan completes national TCV introduction

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Children hold up their marked fingers following vaccination with TCV during the latest introduction campaign in Pakistan. Photo: PHC Global

In October, Pakistan completed its final phase of typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) introduction. This two-week campaign vaccinated 5.8 million children in the urban areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir provinces. These provinces are now transitioning to routine immunization, where TCV will be available to all infants at 9 months old. Once this occurs, TCV will be available nationwide in Pakistan. Sindh province, Punjab province, and Islamabad conducted their introduction campaigns previously and the vaccine is already available through routine immunization in those areas.

This is a monumental achievement for Pakistan. Throughout the phased introduction campaigns, Pakistan has vaccinated more than 35 million children in the past three years. They have persevered through COVID-19 as well as the recent devastating floods to ensure that children 9 months to 15 years old receive TCV. PATH, as part of the Typhoid Vaccine Acceleration Consortium, worked with local partner PHC Global to support Pakistan throughout the phased introduction campaigns, working closely with government partners and international organizations on vaccine implementation, social mobilization, and community outreach activities. image

Prequalification of malaria vaccine paves the way for increased access

The vaccine RTS,S/AS01, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline, is the first malaria vaccine to achieve WHO prequalification, a critical step toward expanding access to the vaccine. This designation allows UNICEF to purchase RTS,S and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance is ready to provide financial assistance to eligible countries to introduce the vaccine. Already, countries are considering whether and how to adopt the vaccine as part of their national malaria control plans, and PATH is generating evidence needed by country decision-makers so they can make informed and timely decisions on the appropriate role of a malaria vaccine in their health systems. image

Addressing immunization health worker morale using a human-centered design approach

PATH’s Living Labs team set out to understand challenges in frontline immunization work from the perspective of health care workers (HCWs). Through a human-centered design (HCD) approach, we identified and classified common demotivating factors in frontline immunization workplaces, recognized opportunities for intervention, and accelerated iterative design toward contextually appropriate solutions.

Many of the challenges brought forward by HCWs had been under-prioritized even though they directly impacted work performance and patients’ experience of immunization services. For example, inefficiently designed paper forms made it cumbersome to carry out basic responsibilities such as follow-up with families who did not access a vaccine. Over time, these design shortcomings frustrated and impacted HCW morale. Living Labs' engagement with HCWs in Kenya and Zambia resulted in a catalog of these challenges and their solutions, which is available in our Insights Explorer tool. Stakeholders across routine immunization systems now have access to the useful insights generated from our work.

Identifying the needs of HCWs and collaborating with them in the co-creation of appropriate solutions resulted in deep learning opportunities for impact and uptake of appropriate context-specific innovations. HCWs perceive these solutions and HCD engagement positively, thereby offering long-term and sustainable solutions to daily challenges. image

 
 

 

Resources and opportunities

New and updated resources

COVID-19 maternal immunization library

A general summary of current, published evidence on single-dose HPV vaccination

Pneumonia can occur across life’s stages—prevention should too web article

Technical synthesis of current, published evidence on single-dose HPV vaccination

Review of the current, published evidence on single-dose HPV vaccination

CVIA at upcoming events

Vaccines Against Shigella and Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli Conference
November 29 to December 1
Washington, DC

International Social and Behavior Change Communication Summit
December 5 to 9
Marrakech, Morocco

14th International Rotavirus Symposium
March 14 to 16, 2023
Bali, Indonesia

 

 
 

New scientific publications

Could a Shigella vaccine impact long-term health outcomes? Summary report of an expert meeting to inform a Shigella vaccine public health value proposition, March 24 and 29, 2021

Impact and cost-effectiveness of rotavirus vaccination in Niger: A modelling study evaluating alternative rotavirus vaccines

CVIA job opportunities

Communications associate

Data manager

Pharmacovigilance manager

Regulatory project coordinator

Senior program assistant

Senior regulatory affairs officer

 

 
 

 

PATH’s Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access brings together our expertise across every stage of the long and complex process of vaccine research, development, and delivery to make lifesaving vaccines widely available to children and communities across the world.

 

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