Principles and considerations for adding a vaccine to a national immunization program: from decision to implementation and monitoring
From decision to implementation and monitoring
Overview
This publication is available in the following languages.
English [3.77Mb] - French [3.7Mb] - Arabic [pdf 3.88MB] - Russian [pdf 3.41MB] - Spanish [pdf 3.6MB]
This is a general guidance document that can be used as a reference for making decisions about and planning the introduction of a vaccine into a national immunization programme. It draws from the experiences of many countries that have introduced new vaccines.
This document is an update of the 2005 WHO Vaccine Introduction Guidelines and it brings together the recommendations and guidance from many recent guidelines, tools and other documents on specific aspects of immunization and on specific vaccines. It provides updated information relevant to many vaccines that are being introduced into national immunization programmes now and in the coming years, including pneumococcal conjugate, rotavirus, meningococcal A, rubella, human papillomavirus (HPV), Japanese encephalitis, and inactivated polio vaccines. For more detailed information about a specific vaccine or aspect of immunization, decision-makers and planners should consult vaccine-specific introduction guidelines and other tools developed by WHO, UNICEF and other partners. This document provides links to many of these guidelines and tools.
Drawing upon recent research findings, this document also places new emphasis on the potential impact of vaccine introduction on the immunization programme and the overall health system. Suggestions are provided throughout the document on ways to minimize possible negative effects of introducing a vaccine on the immunization programme and health system, as well as ways to maximize the opportunities that a vaccine introduction can provide to strengthen these systems.
What is the purpose of this document?
- To assist countries in making informed decisions about adding a vaccine to a national immunization programme by considering its public health priority; programmatic, economic and financial feasibility; and impact on the immunization programme and on the overall health system.
- To guide the planning of a smooth vaccine introduction.
- To suggest ways to use the opportunity provided by the introduction of the vaccine to strengthen immunization and health systems.
Who can use this document?
- Country-level decision-makers in the health sector and other government sectors.
- National immunization technical advisory groups.
- Immunization programme managers.
- Immunization advisors at the national, regional and global levels (e.g., from WHO, UNICEF, local and international NGOs).
- Partners and donors that support immunization activities in countries.
When do you need this document?
Annex 3: Template for a New Vaccine Introduction Plan
This is a generic template to guide countries in developing a practical plan for introducing a new vaccine. This template is intended to provide suggestions for key areas to be considered. Each country and vaccine introduction will have different characteristics and requirements, and thus each country’s introduction plan will need to be adjusted accordingly.
Word document in English, French, Russian and Spanish - January 2014 version.
English, pdf - Français, pdf - Español, pdf - Русский, pdf
Annex 4: New Vaccine Introduction Checklist, Activity List & Timeline
In order to ensure that all steps to guarantee a successful introduction of a new vaccine is planned and budgeted for, that roles and responsibilities are clear, and that a clear timeline is in place, countries are encouraged to use the New Vaccine Introduction Checklist to develop a New Vaccine Introduction Activity List and Timeline that reflects the country situation, and to regularly monitor and review these planning tools at planning and review meetings to oversee the new vaccine introduction. The Word document provides instructions on how to use the New Vaccine Introduction (NVI) Checklist worksheet of the Excel file and how to use the results of that worksheet to create a NVI Activity List and Timeline on the subsequent worksheet.
Annex 4 - Instructions pdf, 301kb Annexe 4 - Mode d'emploi docx, 119kb
Annex 4 - checklist xls, 85kb Annexe 4 : Liste de contrôle xls, 163kb
Anexo 4: Lista de verificación xls, 88kb Приложение 4: контрольного перечня xls, 97kb