Ninth Meeting of the European Technical Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (ETAGE)

The European Technical Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (ETAGE) met on 25–26 March 2009 to review immunization developments in the WHO European Region and advise the Communicable Diseases Unit (CDS) of the WHO Regional Office for Europe on relevant issues and activities.

CDS is prioritizing its immunization efforts in the face of the global financial crisis. It has also been exploring ways to extend their impact, e.g. by providing a platform to develop public health interventions
with WHO Collaborating Centres.

Vaccination coverage continues to increase in the Region, notably for measles, rubella and hepatitis B, while incidence rates decline. Effective surveillance is critical to monitor these trends, however, and ETAGE asked CDS to strengthen its facilitation of national surveillance for these diseases as well as rotavirus, invasive bacteria and influenza.