overview
The Regional Working Group (RWG) on Immunization Systems Strengthening (ISS), an inter-agency body that also addresses the introduction of new and underutilized vaccines (NUVs) and their impact on health systems strengthening (HSS), was established in the WHO South-East Asia Region in 2007–2008. It liaises with global and other regional immunization initiatives and serves as the main regional forum for partner and program coordination, consensus building, and monitoring of implementation of resources including through Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and also provides country-specific support.
Members of the RWG include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC), Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Bank, and the World Health Organization (WHO).
The general objective of the virtual RWG meeting held on 22 March 2022 was to harmonize and coordinate partner support to regional countries to reinvigorate routine immunization coverage in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and operationalize the strategic framework of the Southeast Asia Regional Vaccine Action Plan 2022-2030 aligned with the Immunization Agenda 2030. Specific objectives were to:
Support countries to plan actions to increase routine immunization coverage to pre-pandemic levels and implement catch-up activities for children who were missed out on routine vaccinations.
Support countries to integrate COVID-19 vaccination with routine immunization activities wherever possible.
Discuss and expedite the introduction of new vaccines that are planned for the current biennium or that were planned for 2020 and 2021 but had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Discuss the Regional Vaccine Implementation Plan for 2022-2026.
We will discuss the operationalization of the Gavi 5.0 strategy in the region.
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