Post 00660e : Improving Coverage

POST 00660E : IMPROVING COVERAGE Follow-up on Posts 00642E and 00646E 8 April 2004 _________________________________ The first contribution is from Khadija Msambichaka (mailto:[email protected]) from AFRO. The second comes from Mercy Ahun (mailto:[email protected]) from GAVI Secretariat in Geneva who provides further information on the GAVI performance-based grants. And finally, we attached a two-page summary of Julian Bilous (mailto:[email protected]) presentation at the Technet21 Consultation in Antalya "Reaching Every District" as it is very relevant to this discussion. This paper will be included in the final report and the full presentation be made available later. But it is thought appropriate to post it at this time with Julian's agreement. _________________________________ I cannot agree more with Gasse that for interventions in areas with poor access we should look at delivery of a minimum life-saving package. We have very good examples and lessons learnt form the SOS pilot project. Uganda included curative services and this was very attractive to the community to an extent that on a certain site the community decided to build a health facility to bring the services closer. In Mali we found the community taking care of some of the logistics and monitoring as well. The outreach services in villages along the Niger River offered vaccinations, Vitamin A, antihelminthics and ITNs. The limiting factor for inclusion of many intervention remains the human resources. Maybe our colleagues from Uganda could share the presentation and it could be posted. Khadija Msambichaka ____________________ This is to clear up some possible confusion regarding information about the GAVI performance-based grants that appears in a press release on the GAVI website. As you know, press releases are formulated for audiences that do not have extensive background knowledge. Therefore we took pains to describe the somewhat complex GAVI Immunization Service Support (ISS) or 'share system', in simple terms as performance-based grants. As many readers of TECHNET will be aware, in addition to providing new and under-used vaccines, GAVI provides financial support to countries to increase immunization coverage. Three years of investment payments are given based on the countries' coverage targets. In the fourth year countries that have actually documented increases, and passed an immunization data quality audit (DQA), receive continued funding. So far, among the 19 countries that have received three years of investments under the ISS program, eight countries have documented DTP3 increases, and 11 have not shown increases, or have not passed the DQA, or both. Once these 11 countries do eventually increase DTP3 coverage and pass the DQA, they will be eligible for continued funding, or "rewards". According to the rules, GAVI does not require countries to define how the money will be spent in their proposals, nor do we require them to report in substance on how the money was spent. However, we know that important information and lessons can be learned ? both from countries that have been able to increase coverage and those that were less successful. Therefore the GAVI Secretariat on request of the GAVI Board has commissioned a study on the use of ISS funding, results of which will be available in June. Mercy AHUN Principal Officer GAVI Secretariat c/o UNICEF Geneva _____________________________________________________________________________ Visit the TECHNET21 Website at http://www.technet21.org You will find instructions to subscribe, a direct access to archives, links to reference documents and other features. ______________________________________________________________________________ To UNSUBSCRIBE, send a message to : mailto:[email protected] Leave the subject area BLANK In the message body, write unsubscribe TECHNET21E ______________________________________________________________________________ The World Health Organization and UNICEF support TechNet21. The TechNet21 e-Forum is a communication/information tool for generation of ideas on how to improve immunization services. It is moderated by Claude Letarte and is hosted in cooperation with the Centre de internationale en sant, Canada (http://www.ccisd.org) ______________________________________________________________________________ ##text##