#ia2030 — Public Fediverse posts

This is the preface of the new publication The many faces of immunization. Learn more… Download the collection…

Every day, thousands of health workers, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, get up and go to work with a single goal in mind ­ to ensure that vaccines reach those who need them.

To mark World Immunization Week 2023 (24­–30 April 2023) and the launch of the “Big Catch Up” campaign, the Geneva Learning Foundation (TGLF) invited members of the Movement for Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) to share photographs of themselves and their daily work.

More than 1,000 visual stories were shared.

These are not the carefully composed and technically accomplished shots of the professional photographer: rather, they capture a raw and authentic view of what immunization means in practice.

The transport challenges.

The concerned and loving mothers.

The curious onlookers.

The dialogue between practitioners and community members.

The schoolchildren waving their vaccination cards.

The reams of paper-based data.

This is our second annual gallery of photographs shared by members of the Movement. Get the 2022 World Immunization Week photo book It takes people to make #vaccineswork…

Once again, it celebrates their diversity of roles and challenges faced in their daily lives, and their commitment to the IA2030 goal of ensuring that every child, every family, is protected from vaccine-preventable diseases.

If we did it again, it is because we observed that visual storytelling had a profound effect across the Movement.

This effect may be hard to quantify.

On its own, it certainly does not improve vaccination coverage.

And yet, it has everything to do with how health workers perceive themselves, perceive the value of their own work.

Not just knowing but seeing that there are colleagues across the world who are doing the same work, whatever the contexts, is heartening and inspiring.

It can help strengthen or renew resolve and commitment.

It can help make a difference – and sustain it over time.

To achieve their goals, they may be working in health facilities offering immunization services and other forms of primary health care.

Or they may be taking part in outreach or stratégies avancées, delivering vaccines out in the communities where people live.

Alternatively, they may be based in district or regional offices, providing oversight and offering “supportive supervision” ­ constructive feedback and advice to ensure practitioners can do their jobs better.

If they are among the many practitioners engaged in outreach activities, they may face multiple challenges.

They may have to overcome geographical obstacles ­ rivers, flooding, poor roads, or just long distances.

They may have to venture into areas of political instability or conflict.

They may have to make contact with mobile populations whose precise location may be uncertain.

And they may have to enter informal urban settings in a state of permanent flux.

Then, when they reach their destination, they may find that those they engage are not receptive to vaccination.

They may have to spend time with people to help them understand the benefits and safety of vaccines.

Of course, actually vaccinating people is not the only task that needs to be undertaken.

Vaccination programmes rely on a collective of people with a diverse range of roles, such as maintaining essential cold chain equipment, managing data, and working with communities to build support for vaccination.

Community-based volunteers provide a vital link between immunization programmes and local communities.

Effective teamwork is essential.

At the end of a long day, every vaccination practitioner can return home knowing that they have done their bit to make the world a healthier place, and just might have saved a life.

Charlotte Mbuh and Reda Sadki
The Geneva Learning Foundation (TGLF)

Jones, I., Sadki, R., & Mbuh, C. (2024). The many faces of immunization (IA2030 Listening and Learning Report 5) (1.0). Special Event: World Immunization Week. The Geneva Learning Foundation. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8166653

https://redasadki.me/2024/04/17/world-immunization-week-what-do-you-see/

#ChrisDeBode #IA2030 #ImmunizationAgenda2030 #TheGenevaLearningFoundation #VaccinesWork #visualStorytelling #WorldImmunizationWeek

The article “Gender analysis of the World Health Organization online learning program on Immunization Agenda 2030” is, according to the authors, “the first to showcase the positive inclusion of mainstreaming gender in a WHO capacity-building program.”

Context:

• The paper analyzes action plans developed and peer reviewed by participants in one cohort of the 2021 World Health Organization (WHO) Scholar Level 1 certification course on Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030), a course developed by The Geneva Learning Foundation (TGLF) with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).
• WHO’s Scholar courses only utilize the knowledge creation component of TGLF’s learning-to-action model, whereas the full model supports implementation that leads to improved health outcomes.
• TGLF uses an innovative peer learning-to-action model, developed through over a decade of research and practice, focused on knowledge creation through dialogue, critique, and collaboration, with rubric-based peer feedback scaffolding the learning process.
• The course was facilitated by Charlotte Mbuh and Min Zha, two women learning leaders at The Geneva Learning Foundation (TGLF), who combine deep expertise in learning science and real-world knowledge of immunization in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Key findings:

• The analysis included 111 action plans, a subset of the projects and insights shared, from participants across 31 countries working to improve immunization programs.
• It found that “all action plans in the 111 sample, except three, included gender considerations” showing the course was effective in raising awareness of gender barriers.

This is consistent with the known effectiveness of peer feedback, as the rubric followed by each learner included specific instructions to “describe how your action plan has considered and integrated gender dimensions in immunization.”

TGLF’s peer learning model focuses on generating and applying new knowledge. This appears to be conducive to raising awareness of issues like gender barriers to immunization. By giving and receiving feedback, participants build understanding.

Whereas only around ten percent of learners participated in expert-led presentations offered about gender and immunization, every learner had to think through and write up gender analysis. And every learner had to give feedback on the gender analyses of three colleagues.

The social nature of giving and received structured peer feedback, supported by expert-designed resources, creates accountability and motivation for integrating gender considerations. Participants educate one another on blindspots, helping embed attention to gender issues.

Compared to traditional expert-led capacity building, this peer-led approach empowered participants to learn from each other’s experience, situating gender in their real-world practice, rather than as an abstract concept that requires global experts to explain it. This participant-driven process with built-in feedback mechanisms is likely to have helped make the increased gender awareness actionable.

What we learned about gender barriers

• The most cited barrier was “low education and health literacy” affecting immunization uptake. As one plan stated, “lower educational levels of maternal caregivers are more commonly related to under-vaccination”.
• Other major barriers were difficulties accessing services due to “gender-related factors influencing mobility, location, availability, or quality of health services” and lack of male involvement in decisions, as “men make most of the household decisions while they often do not have sufficient information”.
• Proposed strategies focused on areas like “incentive schemes” and “on-the-job support” for female health workers, “community engagement” to improve literacy, and better “engagement of men” in immunization activities.

TGLF’s peer learning approach likely contributed to raising awareness of gender issues and ability to propose context-specific solutions, though some implicit biases may have affected peer evaluations.

Overall, the analysis shows mainstreaming gender was an effective part of this capacity building program, and the authors appear convinced of its potential to lead to more gender-equitable and effective immunization policies and services.

However, the authors’ claim that “gender inequality and harmful gender norms in many settings create barriers and are the main reasons for suboptimal immunization coverage” is not substantiated by the available data. The action plans do provide some contextual descriptions of gender barriers and describe an intent to take action. But descriptions shared by learners were not verified, and the course did not offer any support to learners in implementing their proposed actions.

Reference: Nyasulu, B.J., Heidari, S., Manna, M., Bahl, J., Goodman, T., 2023. Gender analysis of the World Health Organization online learning program on Immunization Agenda 2030. Frontiers in Global Women’s Health 4, 1230109. https://doi.org/10.3389/fgwh.2023.1230109

Illustration: The Geneva Learning Foundation Collection © 2024

https://redasadki.me/2024/02/21/gender-analysis-of-the-world-health-organization-online-learning-program-on-immunization-agenda-2030/

#capacityBuilding #gender #IA2030 #ImmunizationAgenda2030

WHO’s 154th Executive Board meeting provided a sobering picture of how the COVID-19 pandemic reversed decades of progress in expanding global immunization coverage and controlling vaccine-preventable diseases.

1. Over 3 million more zero-dose children in 2022 compared to 2019 and widening inequities between and within countries.
2. Africa in particular suffered a 25% increase in children missing out on basic vaccines.
3. Coverage disparities grew between the best- and worst-performing districts in the same countries that previously made gains.

In response, the World Health Organization is calling for action “grounded in local realities”.

Growing evidence supports fresh approaches that do exactly that.

Tom Newton-Lewis is part of a growing community of researchers and practitioners who have observed that “health systems are complex and adaptive” and, they say, that explains why top-down control rarely succeeds.

• The claim is that directive performance management—relying on targets, monitoring, incentives and hierarchical control—is largely ineffective at driving outcomes in low- and middle-income country health systems.
• By contrast, enabling approaches aim to leverage intrinsic motivation, foster collective responsibility, and empower teams for improvement.

However, top-down control and directive management appear to have been key to how immunization programmes achieved impressive results in previous decades.

Hence, it may be challenging for the current generation of global immunization leaders to consider that enabling approaches that leverage intrinsic motivation, foster collective responsibility, and empower teams – especially for local staff – are the ones needed now.

One example of an enabling approach is the Movement for Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030).

This is a locally-led network, platform, and community of action that emerged in March 2022 in response to the Director-General’s call for a “groundswell of support” for immunization.

In Year 1 (report), this Movement demonstrated the feasibility of establishing a large-scale peer learning platform for immunization professionals, aligned with global IA2030 goals. Specifically:

• Over 6,000 practitioners from 99 countries joined initial activities, with 1,021 implementing peer-reviewed local action plans by June 2022.
• These participants generated over half a million quantitative and qualitative data points shedding light on local realities.
• Regular peer learning events known as Teach to Reach rallied tens of thousands of national and sub-national immunization staff, defying boundaries of geography, hierarchy, gender, and job roles in collaborative sessions with each other, but also with IA2030 Working Groups.

By September 2022, over 10,000 professionals had joined the Movement, turning their commitment to achieving IA2030 into context-specific actions, sharing progress and results to encourage and support each other.

In Year 2, further evidence emerged on participant demand and public health impacts:

• By June 2023, the network expanded to 16,835 members across over 100 countries.
• Some participants directly attributed coverage increases to the Movement (see Wasnam Faye’s story and other examples), with many sharing a strong sense of IA2030 ownership.

Overall, the Movement has already demonstrated a scalable model facilitating peer exchange between thousands of motivated immunization professionals during its first two years.

• Locally-developed solutions are proving indispensable to practitioners, to make sense of generalized guidance from the global level.
• Movement research confirmed that “progress more likely comes from the systematic application and adaptation of existing good practice, tailored to local contexts and communities.”
• Connecting local innovation to global knowledge could be “instrumental for resuscitating progress” towards more equitable immunization, especially when integrated into coordinated action across health system levels.
• It could be part of a teachable moment in which global partners learn from local action, rather than prescribe it.

The Movement has already been making sparks. It will take the fuel of global partners to propel it to accelerate progress in new ways that could meet or exceed IA2030 goals.

https://redasadki.me/2024/02/05/movement-for-immunization-agenda-2030-ia2030-an-opportunity-for-global-partners-to-learn-how-to-ground-action-in-local-realities-to-reach-the-unreached/

#IA2030 #immunization #ImmunizationAgenda2030 #peerLearning #TheBigCatchUp #WorldHealthOrganization

The WHO Director General’s report to the 154th session of the Executive Board on progress towards the Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) goals paints a “sobering picture” of uneven global recovery since COVID-19.

As of 2022, 3 out of 7 main impact indicators remain “off-track”, including numbers of zero-dose children, future deaths averted through vaccination, and outbreak control targets.

Current evidence indicates substantial acceleration is essential in order to shift indicators out of the “off-track” categories over the next 7 years.

While some indicators showed recovery from pandemic backsliding, the report makes clear these improvements are generally insufficient to achieve targets set for 2030.

While some indicators have improved from 2021, overall performance still “lags 2019 levels” (para 5).

Specifically, global coverage of three childhood DTP vaccine doses rose from 81% in 2021 to 84% in 2022, but remains below the 86% rate achieved in 2019 before the pandemic (para 5).

The number of zero-dose children fell from 18.1 million in 2021 to 14.3 million in 2022. However, this number is still 11% higher compared to baseline year 2019, when there were 12.9 million zero-dose children (para 10).

Furthermore, the report stresses that recovery has been “very uneven” (para 6), with minimal gains observed in low-income countries:

“As a group, there was no increase in DTP3 coverage across 26 low-income countries between 2021 and 2022.” (para 6)

Regions are also recovering unevenly, especially Africa.

“In the African Region, the number of zero-dose children increased from 7.64 million in 2021 to 7.78 million in 2022 − a 25% increase since baseline year 2019.” (para 6)

Inequities within countries also continue expanding, with gaps widening “between the best-performing and worst-performing districts” since 2019 (para 6).

The top priorities (para 34) include:

1) “Catch-up and strengthening” immunization activities
2) “Promoting equity” to reach underserved communities
3) “Regaining control of measles” with intensified responses
4) Advocacy for “increased investment in immunization, integrated into primary health care”
5) “Accelerating new vaccine introduction” in alignment with WHO recommendations
6) “Advancing vaccination in adolescence” such as HPV vaccine introduction

The report stresses that “coordinated action” on these priorities can get countries back on track towards IA2030 targets in the wake of COVID-19 disruptions (para 27). This action must be “grounded in local realities” (para 32) to reach underserved areas thus far left behind.

Given this context, this document asks: “What actions can global partners take to support countries to accelerate progress in the six priority areas highlighted?” (para 37).

In response, WHO contends that “the operational model under IA2030 must continue shifting focus to the regional level, to facilitate coordinated and tailored support to countries.”

It is unclear how devolution to the regional level could truly respond to highly localized barriers and enablers.

Such a claim may best be understood with respect to the internal equilibrium between WHO’s Headquarters (HQ) and the Regional Offices, with IA2030 being initially driven by HQ.

What other changes might be needed? And what are the barriers that might hinder global immunization partners from recognizing and supporting such changes?

Reference: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, 2023. Progress towards global immunization goals and implementation of the Immunization Agenda 2030. Report by the Director-General, Executive Board 154th session Provisional agenda item 9. World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.

https://redasadki.me/2024/02/05/widening-inequities-immunization-agenda-2030-remains-off-track/

#COVID19 #equity #IA2030 #immunization #ImmunizationAgenda2030 #TedrosAdhanomGhebreyesus #WorldHealthOrganization #zeroDose

What difference can peer-led learning and action make for national EPI planners seeking new strategies to support HPV vaccine introduction or reintroduction?

The stakes are high: HPV vaccination efforts, if successful, will avert 3.4 million deaths by 2030.

On Friday, EPI focal points for HPV and other national-level MOH colleagues from 31 countries convened under the banner of the Movement for Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030), which connects over 60,000 primarily sub-national health staff worldwide.

This time, it was national HPV vaccination focal points and other national EPI planners who joined to share experience between countries of ‘what works’ (and how).

They also discussed how the Geneva Learning Foundation’s unique peer learning-to-action pathway could help them overcome barriers they are facing to ensure that local communities understand and support the benefits of this vaccine.

Such a pathway can complement existing, top-down forms of vertical technical assistance and may provide a new ‘lever’ for national planners.

In June and October 2023, health workers – primarily from districts and facilities – in over 60 countries shared 298 lessons learned and success stories about HPV vaccination in the Foundation’s Teach to Reach peer learning events. Watch the video: Why HPV matters for women who deliver vaccines.

The active participation of national EPI managers from Burkina Faso and key stakeholders Sierra Leone led to the consultative engagement in January.

Although HPV vaccine is not new, the global community’s effort to introduce it has been stymied by a number of factors.

Doing what has been done before is unlikely to produce the change that is needed.

For example, it remains unclear how early gains achieved through campaigns can sustainably become part of routine immunization.

TGLF’s Insights Unit will now produce a short summary of key learning from this inter-country peer learning exchange, which will be shared back with participants.

If you are interested in learning more about the Movement for Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) or the Geneva Learning Foundation’s HPV vaccination learning-to-action pathway, please do get in touch.

https://redasadki.me/2024/01/16/movement-for-immunization-agenda-2030-ia2030-national-epi-leaders-from-31-countries-share-experience-of-hpv-vaccination/

#cervicalCancer #EPI #globalHealth #HPV #IA2030 #ImmunizationAgenda2030 #peerLearning #VaccinesWork

RT @DigitalScholarX: #IA2030 #PHC framework provides practical actions for immunization

Learning from the frontlines - enabled by @DigitalScholarX's unique peer learning approach #zerodose #vaccineswork #IA2030 @gavi

Learn more about Gavi's Zero-Dose Learning Hub here https://t.co/47tquQg048 https://t.co/sEK0sgfiTl

What is your experience strengthening COVID-19 and malaria vaccine roll-out? Learn more #IA2030 Movement Leader Kingsley Nignere from #Ghana, in the latest issue of #TheDoubleLoop, @DigitalScholarX #globalhealth insights newsletter #VaccinesWork https://t.co/ZEwFNYZlm0

Heat generated by the voices and collective commitment of thousands of local health workers mobilizing and learning together to take action will only evaporate into thin air if the global community fails to listen, respond, and support them #IA2030

Connect peers, link local practice to global guidance, tailor to local contexts and communities, harness experience, strengthen learning culture…

creates opportunities to…

empower professionals and drive improvement from the ground up #IA2030 @Kate_L_OBrien

Do we need to ‘go back to routine immunization’ or do we need to ‘build back better’…? #IA2030 @Kate_L_OBrien

What if ‘country’ is no longer the right unit of analysis? #IA2030

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#IA2030

The Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) and the Movement for Immunization Agenda 2030 represent two interconnected but distinct aspects of a global effort to enhance immunization coverage and impact.

What is Immunization Agenda 2030?

Immunization Agenda 2030 or “IA2030” is a global strategy endorsed by the World Health Assembly, aiming to maximize the lifesaving impact of vaccines over the decade from 2021 to 2030.

• It sets an ambitious vision for a world where everyone, everywhere, at every age, fully benefits from vaccines for good health and well-being.
• The strategy was designed before the COVID-19 pandemic, with the goal of saving 50 million lives through increased vaccine coverage and addresses several strategic priorities, including making immunization services accessible as part of primary care, ensuring everyone is protected by immunization regardless of location or socioeconomic status, and preparing for disease outbreaks.
• IA2030 emphasizes country ownership, broad partnerships, and data-driven approaches. It seeks to integrate immunization with other essential health services, ensuring a reliable supply of vaccines and promoting innovation in immunization programs.

Watch the Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) inaugural lecture by Anne Lindstrand (WHO) and Robin Nandy (UNICEF)

What is the Movement for Immunization Agenda 2030?

The Movement for Immunization Agenda 2030, on the other hand, is a collaborative, community-driven effort to operationalize the goals of IA2030 at the local, national, and global levels.

It emerged in response to the Director-General’s call for a “groundswell of support” for immunization and combines a network, platform, and community of action.

The Movement focuses on turning the commitment to IA2030 into locally-led, context-specific actions, encouraging peer exchange, and sharing progress and results to foster a sense of ownership among immunization practitioners and the communities they serve. It has:

• has demonstrated a scalable model for facilitating peer exchange among thousands of motivated immunization practitioners.
• emphasizes locally-developed solutions, connecting local innovation to global knowledge, and is instrumental in resuscitating progress towards more equitable immunization coverage.
• operates as a platform for learning, sharing, and collaboration, aiming to ground action in local realities to reach the unreached and accelerate progress towards the IA2030 goals.

In April 2021, over 5,000 immunization professionals came together during World Immunization Week to listen and learn from challenges faced by immunization colleagues from all over the world. Watch the Special Event to hear practitioners from all over the world share the challenges they face. Learn more…

What is the difference between the Agenda for IA2030 and the Movement for IA2030?

• Scope and Nature: IA2030 is a strategic framework with a global vision for immunization over the decade, while the Movement for IA2030 is a dynamic, community-driven effort to implement that vision through local action and global collaboration.
• Operational Focus: IA2030 outlines the strategic priorities and goals for immunization efforts by global funders and agencies, whereas the Movement focuses on mobilizing support, facilitating peer learning, and sharing innovative practices to achieve those goals.
• Engagement and Collaboration: While IA2030 is a product of global consensus and sets the agenda for immunization, the Movement actively engages immunization professionals, stakeholders, and communities in a bottom-up approach to foster ownership and tailor strategies to local contexts.

What is the role of The Geneva Learning Foundation (TGLF)?

The Geneva Learning Foundation (TGLF) plays a pivotal role in facilitating the Movement for Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030). A Swiss non-profit organization with the mission to research and develop new ways to learn and lead, TGLF is instrumental in implementing large-scale, collaborative efforts to support the goals of IA2030. Here are the key roles TGLF fulfills within the Movement:

1. Facilitation and leadership: TGLF leads the facilitation of the Movement for IA2030, providing a platform for immunization professionals to collaborate, share knowledge, and drive action towards the IA2030 goals.
2. Learning-to-action approach: TGLF contributes to transforming technical assistance (TA) to strengthen immunization programs. This involves challenging traditional power dynamics and empowering immunization professionals to apply local knowledge to solve problems, support peers in doing the same, and contribute to global knowledge.
3. Peer learning scaffolding and facilitation: TGLF has demonstrated the feasibility of establishing a global peer learning platform for immunization practitioners. This platform enables health professionals to contribute knowledge, share experiences, and learn from each other, thereby fostering a community of practice that spans across borders.
4. Advocacy and mobilization: TGLF calls on immunization professionals to join the Movement for IA2030, aiming to mobilize a global community to share experiences and work collaboratively towards the IA2030 objectives. This includes engaging over 60,000 immunization professionals from 99 countries.
5. Governance, code of conduct, and ethical standards: Participants in TGLF’s programs are required to adhere to a strict Code of Conduct that emphasizes integrity, honesty, and the highest ethical, scientific, and intellectual standards. This includes accurate attribution of sources and appropriate collection and use of data. Movement Members are also expected respect and abide by any restrictions, requirements, and regulations of their employer and government.
6. Research and evaluation: TGLF may facilitate the connections between peers, for example to help them give and receive feedback on their local projects and other knowledge produced by learners. Insights and evidence from local action may also contribute in communication, advocacy, and training efforts. TGLF also invites learners to participate in research and evaluation to further the understanding of effective learning and performance management approaches for frontline health workers.

https://redasadki.me/2022/06/20/what-is-the-movement-for-immunization-agenda-2030-ia2030/

#AnnLindstrand #IA2030 #immunization #ImmunizationAgenda2030 #MovementForImmunizationAgenda2030 #peerLearning #RobinNandy #TheGenevaLearningFoundation