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2019 Pneumonia & Diarrhea Progress Report Card

The 2019 Pneumonia & Diarrhea Progress Report Card—an annual report developed by the International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC) in the Department of International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health—is now live. This year’s report card finds health systems are falling short of ensuring the world’s most vulnerable children have access to prevention and treatment services in the 23 countries that together account for 75% of global pneumonia and diarrhea deaths in children under 5. It describes progress in fighting pneumonia and diarrhea in countries with the highest absolute number of deaths and, for the first time, in countries with the highest rates of deaths from these illnesses. While the report card identifies progress—increases in immunization coverage—it also describes a near-universal failure to meet GAPPD targets across 23 countries with the greatest burden of disease. About IVAC The International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC) app...

VVM

Great achievement for the VVM. Bravo Umit

Is it time to explore a different way of looking at immunization coverage and system strength?

A recent article in Science authored by Michael Mina and colleagues concludes that measles infection reduces antibodies that provide protection against infections thereby reducing the benefits of prior vaccination (https://science.sciencemag.org/content/366/6465/599). Measles vaccination acts as an essential complement to other vaccines; hence, defining system strength by DTP3 or MCV1 coverage appears inadequate. Because coverage can also be seen as a probability, it is possible to multiply DTP3 and MCV1 coverage to obtain the probability that an infant has received both. With this joint coverage approach, there is still a reassuringly high number of countries where coverage exceeds 90%. However, not surprisingly, there are about twice as many countries with coverage less than 70% using the joint methodology than through the use of either DTP3 or MCV1. The use of a joint coverage approach may be better at identifying weaknesses and fragility in immunization systems....

Webinar Invitation: Integrating Drones into Immunization Supply Chains

Hello TechNet-21 members,  The UAV for Payload Delivery Working Group (UPDWG) invite you to attend a special, one and a half hour webinar, jointly hosted by UPDWG and TechNet-21 on integrating drones into immunization supply chains.  Webinar: Integrating Drones into Immunization Supply Chains When: November 7, 2019 | 10-11:30 AM EST Description: Resilient, high-performing immunization supply chains (iSCs) are the basis for strong primary health care systems and the foundation for reaching global immunization coverage and equity targets. Yet efficient and reliable transportation for immunization products still remains a challenge in many low and middle-income countries. New technologies, such as drones, have the potential to revolutionize traditional modes of transportation but how do you know if these technologies are the right fit for your context? In this webinar, UPDWG and TechNet-21 will explore when integrating drones (or UAVs) into existing iSCs is feas...

Webinar on PQS cold chain equipment area on TechNet: 17 October 2019

Do you work with WHO PQS-prequalified cold chain equipment – refrigerators and freezers, cold boxes and vaccine carriers, coolant packs, and temperature monitoring devices? If so, you may be interested in the new Cold Chain Equipment (CCE) area of TechNet-21.org, which includes detailed information on all WHO PQS-prequalified products, including installation and maintenance guides, training resources, brochures, videos, photos, as well as product feedback from TechNet members. Next month, TechNet will host a webinar on the new CCE area. We will explain how to use the new area, as well as how PQS manufacturers can manage the information and resources provided for their products. An update on the new WHO PQS website will also be provided. The webinar will take place at 4pm CEST on Thursday, 17 October and will be moderated by Alex Pascutto, TechNet Community Manager. The following experts will also be on the panel: Dan Brigden (WHO EPI) Isaac Gobina (WHO PQS) Matt Morio (PATH) ...

WHO/UNICEF estimates of national vaccination coverage (WUENIC) study: 'Have your say'

Dear Members of TechNet-21,   Do national coverage estimates affect your work? Do you use estimates to make decisions? Are you interested in contributing to their improvement? If you have answered yes to any of these questions we would love to hear what you have to say about this important indicator.   Supported by WHO and UNICEF, Swiss TPH are conducting a study to explore: 1. the use and usefulness of estimates for decision making, and 2. methodological approaches to improve estimates of national immunization coverage.   Please find attached the WHO/UNICEF WUENIC project introduction letter which includes further details and the link to the online survey (15 minutes). You can also access the survey directly here: https://forms.gle/9dUMZb1zABRdbkmb8   Many thanks for your interest and support, Caitlin & the Swiss TPH study team  ...

What is the role and use of serosurveys in immunization to deal with hard situation like continued WPV circulation detected in through environmental surveillance in district Lahore Punjab, Pakistan?

Pakistan is among 2 last countries with Afghanistan that are struggling to eradicate polio from the country. Despite of repeated SIA's (more than 100 rounds) and having good LQAS results showing high coverage, still WPV is being detected (Human Polio cases as well as positive Environmental samples). So, would there be a role and use of serosurveys in this regard? Please look at the attached file from Punjab Pakistan where details can be appreciated in the weekly reports.

Replication of CMEWS for acceleration

Dear viewers We wish to share the attached with End TB stakeholders for dissemination and needful. India is committed, eradicated polio and got the certificate in March 2014. In 2018, declared to End TB [Elimination] by 2025, aims to achieve prevalence rate of ≤65, incidence of ≤44 and mortality of ≤3 per lakh population per year and zero catastrophic cost which looks too ambitious. India also declared to screen below 18 year population both for TB and Leprosy and to put on treatment if required. This will help in minimizing the population infection [reservoir of infection]. In this regard vaccinating with live attenuated vaccine in potent condition without any programmatic error early as possible to the newborns for obtaining “immunogenic scar”, administering tuberculin without any programmatic error for early detection of TB infection, early diagnosis and prompt treatment of all TB cases are mandatory. KVG team proactively and opportunistically discovered several program...

Webinar: Analysis of the Situation of Digital Health in Central America: The experience of Central American Health Informatics Network

Webinar organized by Asia eHealth Information Network (AeHIN) in which we shall analyze the current situation of Digital Health in Central America through the accumulated experience of Central American Health Informatics Network (RECAINSA)

Speakers: - Joseline Carías Galeano, Coordinator of Communication and Digital Strategy of RECAINSA - Daniel Roberto Otzoy Garcia, Coordinator of RECAINSA 

Date: October, 22th 2019 

Time: 7 AM Central America Time / 9 AM Washington D.C./ 3 PM Geneva / 9 PM Philippines Time.

Register: http://bit.ly/2MP6MHl

We thank you for your participation and for sharing with your contacts. Best regards Daniel