WHO Ethiopia Country Office EPI Newsletter ETHIOPIA COUNTRY OFFICE EPI Newsletter Volume 1, Issue 2 July 2015 A High Level Vaccination Session Led by Editorial Ethiopian Minister of Health Conducted Loza Mesfin & Selamawit Yilma July was marked with several high level events and visits in Addis Ababa and at field level in- Representative Dr. Pierre M’Pele cluding a high level vaccination session officiated Kilebou, UNICEF Representative by the Ethiopian Minister of Health, the World Health Organization Director General, the Global Gillian Mellsop and CDC Country Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) Director Dr Jeff Hansen, as well as Chief Executive Officer and UNICEF Deputy Exec- national and international EPI utive Director; a high level polio advocacy sum- partners, health workers and mit in Dollo Zone, Somali Region led by Mr mothers with their children. Moulid Hayir, Vice President of the Somali Re- gional Government in the presence of the Chair- The event included vaccination of person and members of the Africa Task Force on children by the high level dele- Immunization and the Horn of Africa Polio Tech- gates and remarks by the Addis nical Advisory Group Chair; as well as a Visit by a Ababa Health Bureau Head, the delegation of French Parliamentarians. GPEI partnership and the Ministry of Health. Accordingly, this newsletter highlights the WHO DG, Dr Margaret Chan, Speaking at the Event, 14 July 2015 acknowledgement of the Immunization program “Strong leadership, political will achievements commemorated in the presence of and coordination are key to sus- high level guests and the continued effort that A high level vaccination session World Health Organization taining the gains made in inter- Government and partners are exerting in was conducted at Selam Health (WHO) Director General Dr Mar- rupting polio transmission in Ethio- strengthening of the programme. The deploy- center in Addis Ababa on July 14 garet Chan, The Global Alliance pia and Africa,” said Dr Margaret ment of STOP 46 team to the field, preparations 2015, with a theme “ Sustaining for Vaccines and Immunization for the upcoming subnational polio vaccination Chan WHO Director Genreal, com- Achievements in Polio Eradica- (GAVI) Chief Executive Officer Dr campaign in high risk areas, and highlights from mending Ethiopia’s aggressive key EPI meetings and workshops are also fea- tion in Ethiopia and Africa” to Seth Berkley, UNICEF Deputy response to the 2013 outbreak of tured in this newsletter. acknowledge the achievements in Executive Director Ms Yoka wild polio virus. She added “Horn Brandt; US Ambassador Ms Patri- We take this opportunity to express our sincere polio eradication and advocate of Africa countries should continue gratitude to our donors and partners that are for further strengthening of rou- cia M. Haslach, UNAIDS Executive to immunize all at risk age groups collectively working together to support the tine immunization and the health Director Mr Michel Sidibe, Rotary until the threat drops to zero and Government of Ethiopia in achieving its immun- system. National Polio Plus Committee eradication is achieved. And this is ization and broader child health targets: Gates Chairperson Dr Tadesse Alemu, The session led by the Ethiopian possible only through high quality Foundation, USAID, CDC, Rotary, UNICEF, GAVI, Brazil Ambassador Mrs Isabel Minister of Health, Dr Kesetebir- immunization activities for all Clinton Health Access Initiative, JSI and PATH. Cristina, President and CEO of han Admasu, was attended by communities.” Continued to page 3 Enjoy Reading! PATH Dr Davis Steve, the WHO high level delegates including the A High Level Advocacy Polio Summit Held in Warder, Dollo Zone, Somali Region Inside this issue (Dr Hassan, Bashir, Dr. Habibu Yahaya and Loza Mesfin) A High Level Vaccination Session led by Ethio- 1 pian Minister of Health Conducted A high level advocacy polio summit was held in A High Level Advocacy Polio Summit Held in 1 Warder, Doolo Zone of Somali region. The Warder, Dollo Zone, Somali region summit was held in the presence of Mr Moulid Hayir - Vice President of Somali Regional Gov- Preparation for Sub National Polio Campaign 2 ernment, at field level Mr Mahamud-Ali Ahmed- Dollo Zone Adminis- trator, Dr Ephrem Lemango – FMOH Director of STOP 46 Team Orientation Conducted 2 the Maternal and Child Health Directorate, Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) 2 Proffesor Helen Rees - Chairperson of the Africa Guideline Finalization Workshop Task Force On Immunization (TFI), Dr Jean-Marc Olive - Chairperson of the Horn of Africa Polio Paediatric Bacterial Meningitis Annual Review 3 Technical Advisory Group, Members of the TFI, Meeting Held at Bishoftu Abdulfetah Said – Acting Somali Regional Health Bureau Head, WHO Representative – Dr Pierre cMYP Dev’t Workshop, Kampala Uganda 3 M’pele-Kilebou, Chairperson of the National Polio Plus Committee, Dr Tadesse Alemu, A High Level Donor Visit Held in Tigray 4 Polio Advocacy Summit participants, Dollo Zone, 2 July 2015. UNICEF, members of the Regional and Dollo Immunization Advocacy and Comm. Workshop 4 Zone Command Posts, religious and clan lead- ers, and community stakeholders. Upcoming Events August 2015 Continued to page 3 Page 1 WHO Ethiopia Country Office EPI Newsletter Preparations for Sub-national Polio Campaign at Field Level Andargachew Merga HaileMariam A sub national polio campaign will be under five year old children. Accord- implemented in Somali, Gambella, ingly, all the vaccines and supplies Benishangul Gumz regions and high have been distributed by Pharmaceu- risk areas of Oromia, Amhara, Tigray tical Fund and Supply Agency (PFSA) to respective Woredas as per the mi- cro plan of the regions. to respec- tive target Woredas as per the mi- cro plan of the regions in advance of Volume 1 Issue 1, June 2015 the SNID. WHO EPI central team conducted supportive supervision to Jimma Group Picture of the Induction Workshop Participants zone and Gambella region. On job training was provided at health facil- ity level, specifically in vaccine and cold chain management. Immuniza- tion In Practice (IIP) manuals and stool cups for AFP surveillance were also provided to health facilities. campaign. Experiences in the past campaign were discussed and strate- A Regional EPI Task Force meeting gies identified to minimize gaps in and SNNP regions starting on 31 was conducted for Gambella region social mobilization, vaccine distribu- July2015.The campaign will cover a with participation of WHO EPI experts tion, logistics, supervisors selection target population of over 4.8million also focussing on the upcoming polio and evaluation methodology. STOP 46 Team Orientation Conducted Dr. Ayesheshem Ademe Tegegne Stop Transmission of Polio (STOP) mission 46 arrived in Ethio- pia in July to provide technical support on polio eradication activities. The team is comprised of four (4) Field Epidemiolo- gists and two (2) Communications Officers. A one week orien- tation was provided at the country office on routine EPI, SIAs, surveillance, reporting, supervision (PDA) checklists and other relevant areas stated on their terms of reference. Following the orientation, the team was then deployed to the field in high risk zones of Somali, Gambella, Benshangul Barnabas Blessing, STOP Team Member in Dollo Zone, Somali Region Gumz, Amhara, SNNPR and Tigray regions to work closely with the respective Zonal Health Departments and Woreda Offices. The STOP 46 team will be in the country for the next six months. Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) Guideline Finalization Workshop Dr. Ayesheshem Ademe Tegegne A two days’ workshop on Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) Guideline finalization organized by the Food, Medicine and Health Care Administration and Control Authority (FMHACA) with support from WHO wasconducted from 7-8 July 2015 in Adama. A total of 35 participants from FMHACA, all RHBs health facilities, L10K and WHO attended the workshop. The participants reviewed the draft AEFI guideline and finalized it as per the agreed discussions. FMHACA will facilitate the printing of the final document to be distributed to all regions and health facilities. Volume 1, Issue 2, July 2015 Page 2 WHO Ethiopia Country Office EPI Newsletter A High Level Vaccination Session ... Continued from page 1 HE Dr Kesetebirhan Admasu, Minister Dr Seth Berkley, GAVI CEO, highlighting of Health,said, “We will focus on equity GAVI’s commitment to strengthening and quality for every child and mother routine immunization, said, “Strong in Ethiopia" adding, "The Government routine immunization systems are a of Ethiopia continues to be committed bedrock of healthy societies and are to eradicating polio from Ethiopia, and central to global plans for the eradica- Africa." He further affirmed that “The tion of polio. By working together, we Government of Ethiopia will continue are reaching more children than ever to engage communities for active par- before with lifesaving vaccines and the ticipation in routine immunization, and GAVI partners are committed to sup- will continue to build strong health porting countries like Ethiopia to sus- partnerships.” tain and build on their progress on immunization. Ms Yoka Brandt, UNICEF Deptuy Execu- tive Director asserted, “Immunization, especially routine immunization, is a WHO, UNICEF, GAVI and other immun- core priority within UNICEF, and it will ization partners remain committed to continue to be. With the availability of support African governments in reach- new