SEA/RC67/18 - 2012: Year of intensification of routine immunization in the South-East Asia Region: Framework for increasing and sustaining coverage (SEA/RC64/R3)

Abstract

To respond to the challenge of a large number of unimmunized children in the South-East Asia Region, the Sixty-fourth Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia in 2011 adopted resolution SEA/RC64/R3 that declared 2012 as the Year of Intensification of Routine Immunization (‎IRI)‎. All Member States then developed action plans that focused on intensification of efforts to reach and immunize high-risk or hard-to-reach areas and populations. Bangladesh identified 32 out of 74 districts and city corporations as targets for further strengthening. In Bhutan, hard-to-reach floating populations were targeted across the country. India targeted 239 out of 644 districts, Indonesia 36 districts across 7 provinces, and Thailand identified three southern provinces bordering Malaysia for targeted immunization activities. Such activities include improving enumeration, tracking drop-outs, increasing demand for immunization, mobilizing community participation, intensifying communication and advocacy and conducting “immunization weeks”. All Member States of the Region have made progress in this regard. However, several countries need to continue their efforts to reach the Intensive Routine Immunization targets. Based on the 2013 WHO/UNICEF estimates, Indonesia and Timor-Leste have improved their DTP3 coverage from 81% to 86% and from 67% to 82%, respectively, for 2011 and 2013. Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Thailand have maintained their coverage at above 95%, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Nepal above 90%. Estimates for Myanmar (‎84%)‎ and India (‎72%)‎ showed no change. The High-Level Preparatory (‎HLP)‎ Meeting held in the Regional Office in New Delhi, India, from 14 to 17 July 2014 reviewed the attached working paper and made the following recommendations: Actions by Member States (‎1)‎ Member States should identify country-specific gaps in routine immunization coverage and initiate measures to address these gaps. (‎2)‎ Member States should actively mobilize external and internal resources to increase routine immunization coverage. (‎3)‎ Problems and issues that lead to shortage of vaccines and cold-chain difficulties should be addressed. Actions by the WHO Regional Office (‎1)‎ The Regional Office should provide technical support to Member States in their efforts to track and reach remote populations. (‎2)‎ Technical support should be provided to Member States in dealing with outbreaks in spite of the high routine immunization coverage. (‎3)‎ The terminology of “2012: Year of Intensification of Routine Immunization in the South-East Asia Region: Framework for increasing and sustaining immunization coverage” should be changed to “Progress made towards achieving regional immunization goals” for future reports. The working paper and HLP recommendations are submitted to the Sixty-seventh Session of the Regional Committee for its consideration.