Summary:

The workshop will be a forum to learn about and discuss considerations, best practices, and opportunities in developing and implementing influenza vaccination policies and programs in the EMR region. Influenza is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Each year seasonal influenza causes up to 650,000 deaths and millions of people are hospitalized due to complications. Influenza pandemics, which occur unpredictably, carry the threat of even  greater impact both on health and society as a whole. A severe influenza pandemic, like the 1918 Spanish Flu, would cause millions of deaths, and cost as much as 0.7% of the global GDP. Expansion of influenza vaccination programs has been identified as an important objective of WHO and other global stakeholders as a tool for reduction of morbidity and mortality and as a mechanism to improve epidemic and pandemic preparedness. However, influenza vaccines remained underused in the region for a variety of reasons, including costs, programmatic complexity, and uncertainty of their value compared with other public health investments.

Objectives:

• To review the current landscape of influenza vaccination in the region, including the changes in policy and program implementation since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic
• To discuss the essential elements of developing a national influenza vaccination policy
• To identify opportunities to strengthen monitoring and evaluation of national influenza vaccination programs
• To share the best practice from one or more EMR countries

Expected outcomes:

The attendees will be able to

• Define an influenza vaccination policy and how countries can design a successful policy
• Know how countries can implement, monitor, and evaluate an influenza vaccination program
• Know the best practices by sharing country experience regarding various seasonal influenza vaccination activities

Target audience:

Any EMARIS attendee that wishes to participate in a discussion of influenza vaccination program issues in the region, including those working in influenza surveillance, influenza vaccination policy and program development and implementation, EPI program staff, and global stakeholders in disease prevention and control.