Message by the Director of the Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals at WHO - February 2024
Kate O'Brien, Director of the Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals at WHO shares in the upcoming months, the global immunization community will focus on two significant events highlighting the critical role of vaccination in protecting public health. Firstly, the Meeting of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization will assess the progress of the Big Catch-Up initiative and review the Immunization Agenda 2030, providing recommendations on vaccines such as polio, hepatitis E, and Mpox. Following SAGE, a WHO high-level meeting in Paris will address the urgent need to combat meningitis, aligning with the lead-up to the Olympic and Paralympic Games where affected athletes will compete. Recent advancements, including the endorsement of a novel meningococcal conjugate vaccine and increased funding pledges to eliminate cervical cancer, underscore global efforts. Additionally, the Measles and Rubella Partnership's meeting in Washington, D.C., highlighted strategies to advance microarray patches and gap-filling campaigns, emphasizing collaboration to eradicate these diseases. Despite progress, escalating measles outbreaks in Europe and beyond emphasize the necessity for a robust response, while wider implementation of malaria vaccines in Africa shows promise in saving lives. To read the entire statement, click the link below!