The Immunization Agenda 2030 aims to ensure that all people benefit from recommended immunizations throughout the life course, integrated with essential health services. Although there has been progress in many countries to expand immunization services beyond early childhood and ensure immunizations are integrated with other health interventions, there is still much work needed to roll out and strengthen vaccination platforms for older age groups and priority populations, and maximize the benefits of integration.
A life course approach to vaccination promotes the importance of immunization as strategy to prevent disease and maximize health over an individual’s entire lifespan. These individual benefits accumulate to produce healthier and more economically productive societies.
WHO recommendations for achieving an integrated life course approach to vaccination
Life Course and Integration Webinar Series
This webinar series, organized by the IA2030 SP4 Working Group for Life Course and Integration, showcases examples from immunization programmes that are successfully working toward an integrated life course approach to vaccination.
The series ran throughout 2023 on a monthly basis and covered broad topics including school vaccination platforms, opportunities for adult vaccination, integrated health campaigns, integrating nutrition and immunization services… and more!
Webinars were delivered in English, with simultaneous French translation.
- Session 1: An Overview of the Integrated Life Course Approach To Vaccination
- Session 2: Health worker vaccination programmes; opportunities beyond Covid-19
- Session 3: Catch-up vaccination – an ongoing safety net to reduce immunity gaps across the life course
- Session 4: Opportunities for integrating COVID-19 vaccine with essential immunization services within primary health care
- Session 5: School platforms for vaccination status checks and catch-up opportunities
Session 1: An Overview of the Integrated Life Course Approach To Vaccination, 22 February 2023
This webinar introduces the integrated life course approach to vaccination, which aims to extend the benefits of immunization to people at all stages of life. It explores opportunities to reach new age groups, integrate vaccination with other essential health services, and highlights key considerations for successfully implementing these approaches.
Presenters:
Presentation:
English
Session 2: Health worker vaccination programmes; opportunities beyond Covid-19, 8 March 2023
This webinar explores vaccination programmes for health workers beyond COVID-19, including WHO recommendations and strategies for delivering routine, periodic and emergency vaccines. It presents experiences from the Americas and Costa Rica, highlighting approaches to strengthening vaccination policies, improving uptake and addressing vaccine hesitancy among health workers.
Presenters:
- Pamela Burgos
- Ana Morice
- Margherita Ghiselli
- Stephanie Shendale
Presentation:
English
Session 3: Catch-up vaccination – an ongoing safety net to reduce immunity gaps across the life course, 29 March 2023
This webinar explores catch-up vaccination as an ongoing strategy to reduce immunity gaps across the life course, particularly for people who have missed routine vaccine doses. It presents experiences from Ethiopia and Côte d’Ivoire, highlighting approaches to integrating catch-up vaccination into routine services and reaching missed and under-vaccinated populations.
Presenters:
- Sié Kabran Kouadio
- Séraphin Kouassi
- Fatoumata Kone
- Yohannes Lakew Tefera
- Kibrom Abraham
- Melkamu Ayalew
- Messeret Zelalem
- Stephanie Shendale
Presentation:
English
Session 4: Opportunities for integrating COVID-19 vaccine with essential immunization services within primary health care, 19 April 2023
This webinar explores opportunities for integrating COVID-19 vaccination with routine immunization, primary health care and other essential health services. It presents experiences from Tanzania and discusses practical approaches, lessons learned and available tools to support countries in planning and implementing COVID-19 vaccination integration.
Presenters:
Presentation:
English
Session 5: School platforms for vaccination status checks and catch-up opportunities, 10 May 2023
This webinar explores the use of school platforms to check children’s vaccination status and provide opportunities for catch-up vaccination. It presents experiences from Ghana and China, highlighting approaches to implementing school vaccination checks, collaboration between health and education sectors, and key factors supporting successful and sustainable programmes.
Presenters:
Presentation:
English