13.12 Draft global vaccine action plan

Posted Mon, 2012-04-02 08:57

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Documents

Documents A65/22 (including draft resolution)
EB130/2012/REC/1
A65/22 Add.1 financial implications
Resolution EB130.R12 World Immunisation Week
See WHO Watch Comment on Vaccine Plan and Report on Discussion at EB130

Isssues before the Assembly

The Assembly is invited to consider Document A65/22 (an updated draft of the global vaccine action plan) and a draft resolution is foreshadowed but not listed among the documents circulated for the Assembly.  

A resolution on World Immunisation Week is forwarded from the Executive Board (EB130.R12) for consideration by the Assembly. 

Report on Discussion at WHA65

 Key issues

  1. Global Vaccine action Plan
  2. Immunization week

All Member States welcomed the draft strategy recognizing that, as part of a comprehensive package of interventions for disease prevention and control, vaccines and immunization are essential, the guiding principles and implementation strategies of the draft are clear and precise and objectives and accountability framework are  acceptable.

Several MS warned that the availability of funding for immunization programmes is threatened by the financial crisis, this is a big issue especially for countries non Gavi eligible. 

India warned that the introduction of new vaccines should not to be pushed by vested interest groups. Introduction of new vaccines should be determined by country authorities on the basis of burden of disease, manufacturing capacity within country and affordability. Improved coordination and funding of R&D is needed to create new vaccines at affordable prices.

Several MS spoke about the need to address public resistance to vaccination programmes.

Several MS spoke about the importance of strengthening health systems to support the delivery of routine and campaign-oriented vaccination and improvements in the  coverage and integration with other public health interventions.

Thailand has doubts on the  world immunization week, because of the risk of vaccine manufacturers using it as an occasion for building pressure on country authorities to add new vaccines to the schedule. MS focus should be on the basic vaccines.

MSF asked for better data, for more targeted interventions and for more thermostable products
for better delivery.

The resolution on the Global Vaccine Action Plan was adopted with some minor amendments.

The resolution on  World Immunization Week was adopted with minor amendments. 

After the discussion the Secretariat assured MS that WHO will lead the efforts for norms and standards and will provide support at country level for the implementation of existing partnerships and coordination structures without creating new structures. It was decided to refine the framework  with better indicators and targets with the aim to submit the draft framework to SAGE (Strategic Group of Experts) and report to next WHA through EB.

Comment 

 

Huge potential

High cost of new and more expensive vaccines

Research needed into vaccine technologies, eg multivalent, heat stable

Need to support local vaccine development and production