Tajikistan has taken concrete steps to strengthen its fight against seasonal influenza with a strengthened national vaccination programme, supported by WHO through the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework Partnership Contribution (PC) and the Task Force for Global Health’s Partnership for International Vaccine Initiatives (PIVI).
In 2019, Tajikistan was one of three countries worldwide to pilot WHO’s manual for introducing seasonal influenza vaccines to health workers. Since then, the country has been vaccinating frontline staff with doses donated by the PIVI program. Now, Tajikistan’s Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Population is taking bold steps to expand access and build long-term sustainability.
Credit: WHO / Lindsay Mackenzie
Caption: National Reference Laboratory, National Influenza Centre, Tajikistan, 2023
In 2025, Tajikistan will self-procure 33,000 vaccine doses, prioritizing healthcare workers who face the highest risk of exposure. By 2026, this number will triple to 100,000 doses—protecting health care workers, boosting pandemic preparedness, and contributing to global health security.
Focusing on healthcare workers ensures that those on the front lines remain healthy and able to deliver essential services during influenza season and future pandemics. It also reduces transmission to vulnerable patients, a win-win for public health.
With support from WHO and PIVI, Tajikistan is integrating influenza vaccination into its national immunization programme. This includes training health staff to deliver vaccines safely, strengthening cold chain systems for safe storage and vaccine distribution, and raising awareness about the benefits of vaccination. Starting with healthcare workers build trust and sets the stage for future expansion to other priority groups.
This initiative aligns with the WHO Global Influenza Strategy (2019–2030), which emphasizes the importance of seasonal influenza prevention. Increasing access to seasonal influenza vaccination reduces absenteeism, morbidity, and mortality. Seasonal influenza vaccination also strengthens pandemic readiness by testing and refining vaccine distribution systems each year—ensuring they can be scaled up quickly when needed.
Looking ahead, Tajikistan plans to further expand vaccination coverage among healthcare workers, conduct a programme review and develop a formal national policy, enhance influenza surveillance, and ensure long-term sustainability through continued collaboration with WHO and partners.
Tajikistan’s experience shows how strong leadership and sustained support can build a robust national influenza vaccination programme, mitigate the impact of annual epidemics and prepare for future pandemics.