130th session Agenda item 6.12
EB130.R12 21 January 2012
World Immunization Week
The Executive Board, Having considered the report on the draft global vaccine action plan,1 RECOMMENDS to the Sixty-fifth World Health Assembly the adoption of the following resolution: The Sixty-fifth World Health Assembly, Having considered the report on the draft global vaccine action plan; Recalling resolutions WHA58.15 and WHA61.15 on the global immunization strategy, and the commitment to use the decade 2011–2020 to achieve immunization goals and milestones in vaccine research and development; Recognizing the importance of immunization as one of the most cost-effective interventions in public health; Acknowledging the significant achievements of the Expanded Programme on Immunization at the global level, including the eradication of smallpox, major advances towards eradicating poliomyelitis, eliminating measles and rubella, and the control of other vaccinepreventable diseases, such as diphtheria and tetanus; Noting the contribution of successful immunization programmes towards significant reductions in childhood mortality and improvements in maternal health, and thereby towards the attainment of Millennium Development Goals 4 (Reduce child mortality) and 5 (Improve maternal health), and towards cancer prevention; Recognizing that initiatives such as regional vaccination weeks have contributed towards promoting immunization, advancing equity in the use of vaccines and universal access to vaccination services, and enabling cooperation on cross-border immunization activities;
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Document EB130/21.
EB130.R12
Recognizing also that the initiative of vaccination weeks, a growing global movement that was first introduced in the Region of the Americas in 2003, is scheduled to be observed simultaneously in WHO’s six regions in April 2012, with the participation of more than 180 Member States, territories and areas; Acknowledging also the high level of political support and international visibility given so far to regional vaccination week initiatives, and noting that the flexibility of the vaccination week framework allows individual Member States and regions to tailor their participation in accordance with national and regional public health priorities; Concerned that, despite all the achievements of immunization initiatives, many challenges remain, including maintaining immunization as a fundamental aspect of primary health care, administering vaccines to all vulnerable populations regardless of their location, protecting national immunization programmes against the growing threat of misinformation on vaccines and immunization, and ensuring that national programmes are considered a financial priority for Member States, 1. REQUESTS Member States to designate the last week of April, when appropriate, as World Immunization Week; 2. REQUESTS the Director-General: (1) to support the annual implementation of World Immunization Week as the overarching framework for all regional initiatives that are dedicated to promoting the importance of vaccination across the life-course and working to assure the universal access of individuals of all ages and in all countries to this essential preventive health service; (2) to provide support to Member States in mobilizing the resources necessary to sustain World Immunization Week, and to encourage civil society organizations and other stakeholders to support the initiative.
Eleventh meeting, 21 January 2012 EB130/SR/11
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EXECUTIVE BOARD 130th session Agenda item 6.12
EB130/Conf.Paper No.1 Add.1 19 January 2012
Report on financial and administrative implications for the Secretariat of resolutions proposed for adoption by the Executive Board or Health Assembly 1. Resolution: World Immunization Week 2. Linkage to the Programme budget 2012–2013 (see document A64/7 http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA64/A64_7-en.pdf) Strategic objective(s): 1 Organization-wide expected result(s): 1.1 How would this resolution contribute to the achievement of the Organization-wide expected result(s)? Immunization Weeks help to: (i) raise global and local awareness of the benefits of vaccination; (ii) increase the population’s acceptance of, and demand for, immunization services; (iii) enhance political commitment; (iv) provide an additional opportunity to deliver vaccines to people, and, consequently, contribute to improving vaccine coverage. Does the programme budget already include the products or services requested in this resolution? (Yes/no) Yes 3. Estimated cost and staffing implications in relation to the Programme budget (a) Total cost Indicate (i) the lifespan of the resolution during which the Secretariat’s activities would be required for implementation and (ii) the cost of those activities (estimated to the nearest US$ 10 000). (i) Implementation would be on a continuing basis, subject to review by the governing bodies. (ii) Total additional cost: US$ 150 000 per annum (staff US$ 30 000; activities: US$ 120 000). Note: All WHO regions have adopted their own resolutions on Regional Immunization Weeks; four regions have been implementing Immunization Weeks for a number of years, with the African and South-East Asia regions joining them in 2012. Consequently, the cost of Regional Immunization Weeks has already been planned for and funded, and the increase in cost due to the introduction of the World Immunization Week would be minimal and would simply reflect some additional staff time at the global level needed for coordination, additional media and communication materials, and a small coordination meeting.
EB130/Conf.Paper No.1 Add.1
(b) Cost for the biennium 2012–2013 Indicate how much of the cost indicated in 3 (a) is for the biennium 2012–2013 (estimated to the nearest US$ 10 000) Total additional cost: US$ 300 000 (staff US$ 60 000; activities: US$ 240 000) Indicate at which levels of the Organization the costs would be incurred, identifying specific regions where relevant Headquarters Is the estimated cost fully included within the approved Programme budget 2012–2013? (Yes/no) Yes If “no”, indicate how much is not included.
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Staffing implications Could the resolution be implemented by existing staff? (Yes/no) Yes If “no” indicate how many additional staff – full-time equivalents – would be required, identifying specific regions and noting the necessary skills profile(s), where relevant.
4. Funding Is the estimated cost for the biennium 2012–2013 indicated in 3 (b) fully funded? (Yes/no) Yes If “no”, indicate the funding gap and how the funds would be mobilized (provide details of expected source(s) of funds). US$ n/a; source(s) of funds: n/a.
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