IPV Introduction and the Polio Endgame
For decades, the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) has been the main tool used to eradicate polio. But at the end of 2012, the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) made a landmark recommendation that every country in the world exclusively using OPV should add at least one dose of the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) to their national immunization schedule by the end of 2015. This new global policy meant that 126 countries around the world will have to introduce a new vaccine within the short timeframe of only 3 years. It should be noted that IPV introduction is one of the many strategies outlined in the Polio Eradication and Endgame Strategy aimed to eliminate polio permanently.
The Policy, Advocacy, and Communications (PA&C) Team at IVAC is working with global immunization partners to support the introduction of IPV. IVAC has developed communications materials that can be used to help communicate the need to urgently introduce IPV. These materials include:
- Case Studies of IPV introduction in Albania, Nigeria, and Tunisia;
- Short graphic movie about global IPV introduction;
- Film Series on IPV introduction: Albania, Nepal, Nigeria, and Tunisia;
- Documenting Vaccine Introductions: A Guide for Developing Case Studies and Human Interest Stories.
Additionally, IVAC is hosting workshops about IPV including: (1) two workshops in India for pediatricians and the medical community and (2) a session in Viet Nam to for health journalists.
Finally, IVAC is also integrating IPV information into two other ongoing projects. The first project is the Vaccine Information Management System (VIMS), a database designed to provide the international community with fast, accurate and secure data on the state of access to vaccines in 194 countries. The second project is an effort to create an Enabling Environment for Vaccines in India (EEVI). Information about IPV has been integrated into regional workshops hosted by the project.
Detailed information on each subproject can be found below.
Since the SAGE recommendation to introduce IPV was made, 27 countries have introduced IPV (data as of July 2015). In the coming months, an additional 99 countries will be introducing IPV into their routine immunization schedule. As these countries prepare to introduce IPV, there is an opportunity to use the lessons learned from countries that have already introduced IPV to improve IPV introduction in other countries.
IVAC has developed three case studies of IPV introduction in Albania, Nigeria, and Tunisia. Each case study details the decision-making process, pre-introduction activities, implementation, and lessons learned from IPV introduction in each respective country. The goal is to share this document with other immunization programs and partners to facilitate the IPV introduction process in their country.
Documenting Vaccine Introductions: A Guide for Developing Case Studies and Human Interest Stories
In recent decades, a remarkable number of vaccines have been introduced into countries across the globe, and many more vaccine introductions are planned for the future. During each vaccine introduction, national immunization programs learn valuable lessons about what works and what doesn’t work when it comes to introducing a vaccine. Failing to properly document the key challenges, solutions, and lessons learned from an experience can lead immunization programs and partners to propagate the same mistakes over and over again.
The purpose of this guide is to give step-by-step instruction on how to develop a case study and/or human interest story about a vaccine introduction. Any individual or team who would like to document the introduction of a vaccine can use this guide. This might include national-level staff, international staff, or external consultants. The document also includes interview guides and examples of case studies and human interest stories about vaccine introductions.
The full PDF can be found here.
Graphic Movie: The Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV): A New Tool in the Fight against Polio
In order to help gain momentum and excitement for IPV introduction, IVAC has produced a short video describing the global introduction of the Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV). This video can be shown at meetings, to donors, and other venues to illustrate the enormous effort being put forth to introduce a vaccine at an unprecedented pace.
Film Series on IPV introduction: Albania, Nepal, Nigeria, and Tunisia
In 2015, an unprecedented number of countries will be introducing the Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV). IVAC has produced four short videos on IPV introduction in Albania, Nepal, Nigeria, and Tunisia. Links to the videos (both a YouTube version and a High-definition version) can be found below. These movies can be shown as an example of a successful IPV introduction.
Description: In March 2014, as part of a global effort to eradicate polio permanently, Albania added the Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) to the national immunization schedule. Immunization experts describe how they convinced government officials of the need to add a new polio vaccine and how they communicated to parents why the new vaccine was being introduced.
Description: In September 2014, Nepal became the first Gavi eligible country in the world to introduce the Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV). But in Nepal, the introduction of IPV was seen as one piece of the larger strategy to strengthen the entire immunization system. In this video, learn about the strategy that immunization workers in Nepal are using to ensure that every child in every village receives every vaccine.
Description: Polio has been eliminated from almost every country in the world, but Nigeria is still one of three remaining polio endemic countries that has yet to get rid of the disease. This is the story about the introduction of the Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) in Nigeria—an important tool being used to wipe out polio from Nigeria permanently. No cases of wild poliovirus have been detected in Nigeria since July 2014. There is hope that polio might be gone from Nigeria forever.
Description: Although Tunisia has not had polio cases for many years, it is in the same region as two polio endemic countries—Pakistan and Afghanistan. Until polio is eradicated from these two countries, Tunisia continues to be at risk of an importation of poliovirus. In September 2014, in order to ensure the children in Tunisia had the best possible immunity against polio, Tunisia added the Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) to the national immunization schedule.
Media Training at the 5th Asian Vaccine Conference (ASVAC)
On June 10th, in conjunction with the Asian Vaccine Conference, IVAC hosted a workshop with journalists on IPV introduction in Hanoi, Vet Nam. Ten journalists from eight countries attended the session and many have written articles about IPV introduction and the Polio Endgame since the workshop.
Tracking of New IPV Introductions through the Vaccine Information Management System (VIMS)
IVAC serves as a home to VIMS, a web-based tool designed to provide the international community with fast, accurate, and secure data on the state of access to vaccines in 194 countries. VIMS Global Vaccine Introduction Reports using VIMS data are produced on a quarterly basis and provide updates on the status of global Hib vaccine, pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, rotavirus vaccine, and IPV.
Reports can be found on the VIMS home page here.
Currently, VIMS is transitioning to a new data visualization platform called “VIEW-Hub”. Once available, VIEW-Hub will allow stakeholders and partners to visualize real-time data about vaccine introductions in interesting and useful ways. Users will be able to create customized maps and reports based on their individual needs (e.g. filter by region, vaccine, Gavi eligibility, and more). In the future, IVAC will add IPV data into the VIEW-Hub database; thus, users will be able to gather information about IPV introductions specific to their needs through the interactive platform.
Integrating IPV into the Enabling Environment for Vaccines in India (EEVI) Project
For many years, IVAC has been working closely with in-country partners in India on a project to build an Enabling Environment for Vaccines in India (EEVI). The project is currently in its second phase which is focused on enabling timely, evidence-based policies and decisions for nationwide introduction of pentavalent vaccines, rotavirus vaccines, and pneumococcal vaccines.
Following the global recommendation for the introduction of IPV, IVAC decided to leverage its work on IPV and include the introduction of the Inactivated Polio Vaccine in the EEVI project. Two workshops are being held specifically about IPV introduction. Additionally, information about IPV has been integrated into regional workshops hosted by the project.