WHO/Europe supports translation of European Vaccine Action Plan into national immunization plans in Gavi-supported countries

A workshop to build capacity for comprehensive multi-year planning (cMYP) on immunization in countries eligible for support from the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (Gavi) took place on 27–29 April 2015 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Continuation of GAVI support to countries is conditional on submission of updated cMYPs, which provide strategic guidance to national immunization programmes and stakeholders. WHO/Europe organized the workshop to help Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Republic of Moldova, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan identify critical aspects to be considered while developing their next cMYP, in line with revised WHO–United Nations Children's Fund cMYP development guidelines and new costing and financing tool.

The process of updating cMYPs for the upcoming cycle (2016-2020) is also a vital time to translate the goals, objectives and proposed actions of the European Vaccine Action Plan 2015–2020 (EVAP) into national immunization plans.

Cross-border collaboration combined with tailored support to countries

Approximately 35 immunization programme managers and programme staff in charge of vaccine management and logistics, surveillance of vaccine-preventable diseases and immunization financing attended the workshop, along with WHO experts and representatives of partner agencies. Working together to improve planning of national immunization programmes allowed the participants to share experiences and best practices across national borders.

The workshop also provided WHO/Europe the opportunity to assess what technical assistance each country needs to finalize its cMYP. Based on this assessment, tailored support will be provided to countries at different stages of the planning process to ensure that development of cMYPs is aligned with national commitments and plans as laid out in the EVAP.