The workshop aims to strengthen national or equivalent capacity to secure timely and uninterrupted access to quality-assured vaccines at affordable prices. Participants will learn how to enhance the use of vaccine market information throughout the product value chain to inform national or equivalent policies, regulations and practice on product choice, market authorization, budgeting, procurement, distribution and delivery of vaccine products in a manner that increases demand predictability and flexibility to prevent barriers to access.
Background
Equitable access to health products is a global priority, and the availability, accessibility, acceptability, and affordability of health products of assured quality are critical to achieving every health target of the Sustainable Development Goals. Middle-income countries/areas (MICs) are lagging behind with the introduction of new vaccines. In addition, many of the newly developed immunization products have unique characteristics and a limited supplier base, which may further hamper access.
Improving access to new vaccines is a multidimensional challenge. A changing vaccine market, vaccine supply shortages, and inconsistent vaccine pricing are complex issues, involving numerous stakeholders and complex and interdependent processes. Technical assistance is required to access, understand and utilize available vaccine market information, as well as to identify potential barriers and adopt strategic approaches to secure access to affordable vaccines.
Participants
The workshop will be attended by experts from middle-income countries/areas responsible for immunization programme policy and decision-making; vaccine financing, budget allocation and vaccine procurement; and drug regulatory authorities in charge of vaccine market authorization. Invited participants will come from Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan as well as from Kosovo[1]. Procurement, market access and market intelligence experts from WHO, United Nations Children’s Fund and GAVI Alliance will provide inputs to the sessions.
[1] All references to Kosovo should be understood to be in the context of the United Nations Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).
This event, originally scheduled for 12-14 February 2025, has been postponed. New dates will be confirmed at a later date.