WFPHA at UNGA78: Statement on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response

The 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 78) takes place in New York in September 2023. It marks a crucial milestone in the journey towards achieving the 2030 Agenda and the urgent need to put the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) back on track.

During the UNGA 78, the President of the General Assembly, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), convenes a High-Level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response (PPPR) on September 20, 2023. The overall theme of the meeting is “Making the World Safer: Creating and Maintaining Political Momentum and Solidarity for Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response”.

The meeting consists of an opening segment, a plenary segment for general discussion, two multi-stakeholder panels, and a brief closing segment. The themes for the two panels are: Ensuring Equity through Governance and Accountability for PPPR by Utilizing Multi-sectoral Coordination at All Levels; and Ensuring Equity through Capacity Building for PPPR and Harnessing Timely, Sustainable and Innovative Financing and Investment.

It convenes Heads of State and Government for a one-day meeting to adopt a political declaration aimed at mobilizing political will at the national, regional, and international levels for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.

This meeting approves a political declaration, agreed in advance by consensus through intergovernmental negotiations, to be submitted by the President of the General Assembly for adoption by the General Assembly.

The WFPHA attends this high-level meeting with a strong statement, as follows:

The current zero draft of the pandemic instrument invokes language that attests to a desire to prevent the next pandemic. Yet, on the heels of a summer marked by climate catastrophe, we are reminded that the inextricable links between the changing world we inhabit and ourselves means the next pandemic will likely soon befall us. Yet we remain ill-prepared to face its consequences, and political wills continue to encumber the process of creating such a draft. The failures of the pandemic, still felt by much of the world, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, derive from systemic and structural inequalities that continue to place the most vulnerable at risk. Platitudes and buzzwords, while well-intentioned, will ring hollow if they are not followed by concrete policies and actions to rectify the injustices still leading to unequal proportions of disease, disability, and death. It is not enough to remind all of you that One Health means our own health depends upon that of our planet—of the oceans, the lands, the animals, and the fellow humans that live in it. It is not enough to remind all of you that any attempt to combat a pandemic must adopt an approach that prizes humanity above profit and power. True, systemic change mandates that the language of such a draft precisely defines the necessity of universal health coverage, of knowledge sharing amongst countries that permits equitable access to information, research, vaccines, and pharmaceuticals, such that all countries are empowered to protect each and every one of us.

Have the SDGs Lost Their Aspirational Force?

Adopted by the United Nations in 2015, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are an urgent universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity.

The 17 SDGs are integrated; they acknowledge that actions in one area will have an impact on others and that development must balance social, economic, and environmental sustainability.

All countries in a global partnership have committed to prioritizing progress for those who’re behind. The creativity, technology, and financial resources of all societies are necessary to achieve the SDGs in every context.

On September 28, 2023, at 14:00 (CEST), esteemed global speakers will gather to have an exchange about the current state of the SDGs and how the principle of sustainable health equity can be utilized to advance the SDG agenda in a practical and actionable manner.

Participation in this webinar is free, but registration is mandatory. Save your spot by clicking on the link below.

Public Health Climate Advocacy in the Digital Health Era

The climate and nature crisis presents severe challenges to the operations of global health systems. Pollution, biodiversity loss, and burning fossil fuels create public health emergencies at scale and disrupt health systems. Digital health may have a role in the management of such challenges and in greenhouse gas emission reduction. However, this management and reduction can only be effective if there is buy-in at the national level. How can the international health community use technology to influence governments, not just to decarbonize the health sector, but all of society?

On September 26, 2023, at 13:00 (CEST), in celebration of World Environment Health Day, the WFPHA and Health Care Without Harm have brought together a global panel to discuss this existential question as well as to introduce the #HealthClimateActionGuide.

Participation in this webinar is free, but registration is mandatory. Save your spot by clicking on the link below.

Launching the Global HPV Consortium: Working Together to Prevent HPV & Eliminate Cervical Cancer

On September 5 – 6, 2023, the Global HPV Consortium has been launched in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Sabin Vaccine Institute has led the Consortium and served as the Secretariat. The WFPHA, represented by its Executive Manager, Dr Marta Lomazzi, has attended this event.

In alignment with World Health Organization’s (WHO) Immunization Agenda 2030 and Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative, the Consortium serves as a worldwide public and private collaboration focused on accelerating the prevention of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and eliminating cervical cancer as a public health concern.

During the event, Anuradha Gupta, President of Global Immunization at Sabin, emphasized the need to revolutionize global public health by crafting a strategic roadmap to enhance access and adoption of HPV prevention tools, including vaccines, screening, and precancerous lesion treatment. Dr Lomazzi has emphasized the importance of ensuring universal access to gender-neutral HPV vaccination across all nations.

Cervical cancer claims the lives of approximately 350,000 women annually, with over 600,000 affected each year. This largely preventable disease primarily impacts low- and middle-income countries with limited secondary prevention resources, such as screening and treatment. Without intervention, cervical cancer is projected to surge by almost 50% by 2040. Despite the HPV vaccine’s availability for 17 years, its uptake remains low, exacerbated by the pandemic.

The Consortium has united diverse public and private stakeholders, including those focusing on vaccination, cancer control, non-communicable diseases, HIV, reproductive and adolescent health, gender equity, and women’s empowerment. Country leaders, policymakers, implementers, researchers, youth advocates, women champions, non-profits, and industry representatives, including manufacturers of vaccines, syringes, cold-chain, diagnostics, and therapeutics, have joined the launch.

The WFPHA is excited to support the Consortium to work together to prevent HPV and eliminate cervical cancer.

Protecting Healthcare Workers in Low- & Lower-Middle-Income Countries through Vaccination: Barriers, Leverages, & Next Steps

Healthcare workers play a vital role in providing medical care to individuals and communities. Compared to the general public, healthcare workers are at a higher risk of exposure to infectious diseases, including vaccine-preventable ones, due to the nature of their work. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends healthcare workers be vaccinated against tuberculosis (BCG), hepatitis B, polio, diphtheria, measles, rubella, meningococcal, influenza, varicella, pertussis, and COVID-19; yet, despite clear guidelines, these are not always implemented, especially in less wealthy countries.

Importance of Routine Vaccination of Healthcare Workers

Routine vaccination of healthcare workers not only protects them from contracting infectious diseases but also helps prevent the spread of diseases to their patients, reduce healthcare costs associated with treating infected individuals, and reduce the risk of outbreaks that overburden health systems and increase costs. Moreover, healthcare workers who are protected against vaccine-preventable diseases are less likely to miss work due to illness or infection which can improve confidence and increase overall productivity. This, in turn, is essential for providing quality healthcare and improving the efficiency of the overall healthcare system. Similarly, vaccinated healthcare workers would be more confident in their ability to perform their duties as they are less likely to experience stress and anxiety related to their work.

Despite its importance, the implementation of policies for routine vaccination of healthcare workers in low- and lower-middle-income countries faces several challenges. In a recent article published by the researchers of the WFPHA and its International Immunization Policy Taskforce, they analyzed the barriers and recommendations for policy implementation and the role of partnerships.

Main Barriers to the Implementation of Policies for Routine Vaccination of Healthcare Workers

According to the article, lack of funds, lack of specific schedules for healthcare workers, lack of evidence-based data, hesitancy, beliefs, and low literacy are the main barriers to the implementation of policies for routine vaccination of healthcare workers in low- and lower-middle-income countries.

Recommendations for the Implementation of Policies for Routine Vaccination of Healthcare Workers

Expanding the COVAX initiative to cover healthcare workers, building partnerships with WHO, GAVI, governments, universities, and communities, mandatory insurance for healthcare workers, including vaccination, utilizing COVID vaccination infrastructures to vaccinate healthcare workers, collecting national data focusing on healthcare workers vaccination, increasing awareness and literacy from the university partnering with health-related student organizations, advocacy at different levels, providing specific schedules and funds addressed to healthcare workers (as done for children and pregnant women), and considering healthcare workers vaccination as part of the Occupational Safety Plan are the main recommendations for the implementation of policies for routine vaccination of healthcare workers in low- and lower-middle-income countries.

It is crucial to remember that the primary requirement for implementing the recommendations is the genuine commitment of governments to protect healthcare workers. Regrettably, numerous governments are yet to prioritize the protection of healthcare workers as essential for the well-being and prosperity of their nations. Consequently, this lack of prioritization hinders the successful implementation of the proposed recommendations, despite their potential for positive outcomes.

Health Worker Vaccination Programs in Low, Middle and Upper Middle-Income Countries: A Review

Health workers are at risk of contracting vaccine-preventable diseases while caring for patients and communities. Immunization against commonly encountered pathogens is an effective strategy to protect them. Depending on country-specific circumstances, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends health workers be vaccinated against tuberculosis (BCG), hepatitis B, polio, diphtheria, measles, rubella, meningococcal, influenza, varicella, pertussis, and COVID-19. However, vaccination coverage amongst health workers in low-income, lower-middle-income, and upper-middle-income countries (LIC, LMIC, and UMIC, respectively) is notably low when compared to higher-income countries. While there may be several reasons for the lower rates of coverage, one could be the lack of programs and policies to vaccinate health workers in LIC and LMIC.

In a recent article by the researchers at the WFPHA, they reviewed the current published data referencing national vaccination policies and programs for LIC, LMIC, and UMIC to understand the programs that are already in place, review the enablers and barriers to health workers vaccination programs, and inform policymakers as they plan for a post COVID-19 health system.

According to the article, the current literature concerning routine vaccination of health workers in low and middle-income countries predominantly emphasized the hepatitis B antigen, with influenza, measles, rubella, and mumps being the subsequent focus. With considerable variability by vaccine and country, in most cases, the vaccination was not offered free to health workers or included in a regular vaccination schedule.

According to the article, economic support for vaccination such as free access to vaccines, vaccines and supplies donated by manufacturers or funded by public-private partnerships, as well as effective management of the vaccination programs such as using existing Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) infrastructure, and a robust institutional framework to offer vaccines to health workers, were key facilitators to vaccinating health workers. Lack of awareness and inefficient communication, such as lack of education on vaccines or awareness of availability, lack of funds, difficult access to (i.e., lack of time and/or opportunity to receive vaccines), and lack of vaccines themselves, as well as a lack of baseline data on antigen prevalence rates among health workers, were key barriers to vaccinating health workers.

According to the article, better optimization of available programs and structures developed during the COVID-19 pandemic may be a first step when complemented by effective communication to raise awareness and create a standard of care, whereby health workers vaccination is seen as an integral part of employment safety and occupational health. Comprehensive coverage of health workers against vaccine-preventable diseases is not only a right for workers but also a key element in ensuring that their intervention in health facilities and communities is safe for all.