We must correct imbalanced global investments within the world of immunization by Robert Steinglass, Immunization Senior Advisor, JSI and Immunization Team Leader, MCHIP (13 June 2012) In recent years, the world of immunization has been dominated by a focus on life-saving vaccines and the prev...

Hi All, After several years of working in Immunization related activities to help others, I find myself on the other side of the fence, with a 2 month old baby, in Senegal, trying to get her shots. She was born in the US, and we opted not do the HEP B at birth and figured to start at 2 months. We w...

The first of the two Grand Challenges Explorations (GCE) grants totaling US$100,000 each recently awarded to PATH by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will help to advance the development of a novel protective liner for vaccine carriers. Currently in the early stages of product development, th...

Appeal from another e-group: The National Vaccine Policy that had been drafted by one person and presented to the media as a final document in April 2011, without any consultation is on the MOHFW website. I understand from Dr. Jacob Puliyel that the ministry is agreeable to reviewing it if it ge...

Dear all IATA regulation changes for Time & Temperature Sensitive Pharmaceutical shipments, with regard to the logging devices, additional text is proposed in the IATA regulations for Chapter 17 of the Perishables http://www.iata.org/whatwedo/cargo/Pages/perishables.aspx Temperature Logging...

Many thanks to Mojtaba Haghgou for suggesting that this summary be posted here. Cross-posted from the PAHO Immunization Newsletter, December 2011. In January 2010, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) began piloting a software to manage and control vaccines, syringes and other supply inven...

The Georgia Institute of Technology has received a $100,000 Grand Challenges Explorations grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The program funds individuals worldwide to explore ideas that can break the mold in how persistent global health and development challenges are solved. Jonatha...

The Logistimo team is humbled to receive support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation "Grand Challenge Explorations" program to advance new approaches to optimize immunization systems. It is a tremendous opportunity to apply mobile and cloud technology to improve vaccine supply chains ...

Excerpts from a discussion on another forum about adverse events following immunization (AEFI) data collection. Dhruv wrote: A wise option. Why don't we develop a cellphone-based VAERS? Prabir wrote: See http://www.slideshare.net/prabirkc/sms-based-death-reporting which has to do with a simi...

Many thanks to Diana Chang Blanc for sharing this information with the forum! Dear colleagues, ... Please find below the web link to the “first batch” of the WHO Information Sheets on Observed Rates of Vaccine Reactions. We would highly welcome if you could share these sheets with colleagues ...

by Hai Le and Kien Vu, PATH To accompany the article “Do battery-free solar refrigerators work in low-light conditions?” in this month’s newsletter, Optimize has published a photo set on Flickr that reveals how the solar refrigerators were installed and tested. The photo set includes photogr...

by Joanie Robertson, PATH, and Steve McCarney, Solar Electric Light Fund Field-tests conducted in the cloudy north of Vietnam suggest there may be a bright future for battery-free solar refrigerators in low-light conditions. As reported in the Op.ti.mize October 2011 issue, project Optimize ...

by Kristina Lorenson, PATH Regional distribution centers (RDCs) may be a realistic option for countries that distribute large quantities of vaccines and need to invest in cold chain infrastructure, according to a report by project Optimize. The report, completed this month, assesses the cost of ...

by Mojtaba Haghgou, consultant, and Ramzi Ouichi, WHO A web-based version of the Vaccination Supply Stock Management (VSSM) tool has been successfully deployed in Iran. Now, project Optimize is collaborating with the Tunisian Ministry of Health to field-test wVSSM in Tunisia. VSSM is an open...

by Magda Robert and Laurie Werner, Decade of Vaccines Collaboration Over the past year, the Decade of Vaccines (DoV) Collaboration has been developing a Global Vaccine Action Plan (GVAP). The plan is now being finalized and will be presented for endorsement at the 65th World Health Assembly, to ...

The Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean is preparing to celebrate the third Regional Vaccination Week during the week of 24 – 30 April 2012, coinciding with the first World Immunization Week. Vaccination Week is an annual initiative celebrating and promoting immunization through innovative...

The “Autonomy Tool” is a method of sizing solar power systems. It was developed several years ago. I recently reread the instructions describing the application of this sizing technique. From my interpretation of the instructions the “Autonomy Tool” can be used to size battery powered systems or dir...

The two main challenges in implementing Routine Immunization are: 1) reaching all the beneficiaries, tracking and holding them to achieve full vaccination, and 2) immunizing the vaccinated, i.e., attaining seroconversion for specific protection against VPD. The latter requires high quality service ...

Cross-posted from the February 2012 Global Immunization News issue. Many thanks. 29/02/2012 from Jhilmil Bahl, WHO HQ As the introductions of Pneumo and Rota vaccines in 2012 are fast approaching, training materials are being developed at WHO/HQ. Rotarix materials will be available by mid-Ma...

Cross-posted from the February 2012 Global Immunization News issue. Many thanks. 29/02/2012 from Claudio Politi, Oumar Sagna and Daniela Urfer, WHO/HQ New data on immunization financing are available based on the WHO/UNICEF Joint Report Form (JRF) reported by countries. Indicators on government...