2020 EDITION ● 2019 YEAR IN REVIEW Strengthening routine immunization in Haut-Lomami and Tanganyika provinces
Stepping up commitments for routine immunization commitment to mobilize provincial resources for Launched in 2018, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s vaccination in alignment with the Kinshasa Declaration. (DRC) ‘Mashako Plan’ aims to increase immunization This past year a vaccine-derived polio (cVDPV2) rates by 15% over 18 months to vaccinate an additional epidemic persisted in DRC due to low herd immunity, 220,000 children in nine vulnerable provinces. In with 85 cases recorded in the country—including 19 response, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) cases in Haut-Lomami and 1 case in Tanganyika. This is providing direct financial support and technical underscores the importance of partners’ continued assistance through partners to address gaps in routine work toward strengthening immunization systems and immunization in two target provinces, Haut-Lomami advocating for sustainable routine immunization and Tanganyika. financing. Below is a review of the biggest highlights of 2019 was a banner year for immunization in the DRC. In 2019 in our continued fight against polio in DRC. July, the newly elected Congolese Head of State, Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, hosted the National Forum on Immunization and Polio Eradication. Bringing together governors, provincial assembly presidents, ministers of health, and technical experts from all 26 provinces, he declared his vision for improving immunization systems and achieving polio elimination in front of national and international attendees. The forum culminated in the signing of the Kinshasa Declaration committing national and provincial decision-makers to take specific action to provide oversight, accountability, and resources to immunization systems. Following the forum, the Ministry of Finance disbursed
US$3M in Gavi co-financing for the purchase of new Technical experts from ministries of Budget, Finance, and Health vaccines. On the sidelines of the Immunization Forum, attend a workshop to discuss immunization resource allocation in an exchange dinner was held where decision-makers Haut-Lomami. from Haut-Lomami and Tanganyika reaffirmed their
Mireille Mutuale, Advocacy & Communications Officer, Haut-Lomami Province, PATH DRC
Mireille has dedicated her career to vaccine advocacy. She collaborates with technical partners, meets with community members, and educates decision-makers on the power of vaccines. She believes that communities must understand both the importance of immunization and the role government plays in mobilizing resources. Through community sensitization and educating decision-makers, she helps to create more accountability in Haut-Lomami for immunization program implementation. Since the project began, she has seen improved financing for immunization and their supply chains as well as increased decision-maker engagement in promoting provincial immunization programs.
Provincial highlights additional $5,000 from provincial government funding Building on the 2018 evaluation of routine to support immunization activities. immunization performance, PATH and partners A workshop on decentralization was held with the continued to provide technical support in Haut-Lomami Provincial Governor, researchers, and Ministers of and Tanganyika. Technical and Advocacy officers Health, Finance, and Budget to educate participants on supported the creation of annual EPI action plans, and the effects of decentralization on the health sector. As EPI Officers strengthened capacity of EPI program a result of this workshop, a civil society organization management through supervision of programs in 56% (CSO) platform was created for partners to share of health zones in Haut-Lomami and 63% of health information and monitor decentralization processes zones in Tanganyika. affecting health, including distribution of funds and Research is key to improving polio surveillance. The management of programs. team initiated a study on the impacts of temperature Parliamentarians reinforced their commitment to sensors to understand the effects of long transport implement the provincial edict to mobilize resources time on acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) stool samples. for vaccination. The President of the Provincial In alignment with the financing agreement with BMGF, Assembly stated, Haut-Lomami and Tanganyika provinces committed to providing 25% of the financial support for immunization programs in 2019. In both provinces, “The edict has a constitutional basis and calls for budget lines for immunization were established, the political will of decision-makers for its modalities for funding and disbursement of vaccines implantation its implementation. [This] is an were created, and commitments to monitor opportunity for us to reflect on how to achieve disbursement were made. the objectives so that together we unite in our Updates from Haut-Lomami province efforts to implement the edict.” Many newly-elected officials took office in 2019. Engaging with and educating these new leaders about the project was essential to continue strengthening and mobilizing funds for immunization programs. Haut- Lomami welcomed a new Provincial Governor, Professor Marcel Lenge Massangu Wa Mpoyo. PATH and BMGF presented the project to Governor Massangu Wa Mpoyo, who praised the initiative and pledged his support to the project throughout its implementation. Thanks to advocacy and technical work by partners, Governor Massangu Wa Mpoyo partook in the second round launch of the oral polio vaccine to address cVDPV2. He joined a vaccination campaign in Nkulu Village where not only did he help distribute the oral polio vaccine, but he also committed an Haut-Lomami Provincial Governor Massangu Wa Mpoyo gives an oral polio vaccine to a child in Nkulu Village.
Project Partners
Address Date published 5ème niveau, Immeuble February 2020 WAIKIKI, 119 Blvd 30 Juin, C/GOMBE, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
Updates from Tanganyika province The Ministers of Finance and Budget re-committed to efforts for routine immunization. In order to establish political will to support immunization programs, partners briefed and educated decision-makers on the status of immunization in Tanganyika. In accordance with the Provincial Edict, more CSOs and citizens are providing oversight and demanding government accountability for immunization programming. An advocacy plan has been developed, and the next step is to develop a disbursement plan to The Minister of Health and Vice President of the Provincial Assembly ensure immunization funds are distributed. in Tanganyika establish a network of Parliamentarians to support vaccination programs. Strengthening community-based surveillance to identify and report AFP is key to the success of the program. EPI Program Officers trained teachers in 6 of the 11 health zones to implement community-based Priorities for 2020: monitoring of AFP. In Kalemi Health zone, the EPI program officer educated students about immunization • Disbursement of 25% of the cold chains. Students were trained as community provincial budget in the Provincial relays, and play a role in assisting the EPI program to Health Division accounts for identify children who are insufficiently vaccinated. immunization in Haut-Lomami and In order to sustain immunization programs, it is critical Tanganyika. to strengthen capacity of policymakers in mobilizing • Improve transport time of stool funds and raising community awareness around samples for AFP cases in both immunization. In a workshop, Members of Parliament provinces, using new technological learned communication techniques to use in their solutions. electoral campaigns to help their constituents better understand the importance of immunization. A • Improve AFP monitoring indicators in Parliamentarian Network was established to push for Tanganyika through training and increased and sustained political will among decision- sensitization of community teacher makers. relays. • Improve availability of vaccines and continued strengthening of routine immunization in the two provinces.
Students in Kataki health area of the Kalemi health zone learn about immunization and the vaccine cold chain during an EPI outreach program in Tanganyika province.
Project Partners
Address Date published 5ème niveau, Immeuble February 2020 WAIKIKI, 119 Blvd 30 Juin, C/GOMBE, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo