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. 2017 Dec 20:41:e127.
doi: 10.26633/RPSP.2017.127. eCollection 2017.

The Expanded Program on Immunization in the English- and Dutch-speaking Caribbean (1977-2016): reasons for its success

Karen N Lewis-Bell  1 , Beryl Irons  2 , Elizabeth Ferdinand  3 , Laura L Jackson  4 , J Peter Figueroa  5
Affiliations

The Expanded Program on Immunization in the English- and Dutch-speaking Caribbean (1977-2016): reasons for its success

Karen N Lewis-Bell et al. Rev Panam Salud Publica. .

Abstract
in English, Spanish, Portuguese

The year 2017 marks the 40th year of the establishment of the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the regional office of the World Health Organization (WHO) in the Americas, the first WHO region certified as eliminating poliomyelitis (1994), measles (2016), and rubella and congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) (2015). The English- and Dutch-speaking Caribbean subregion of the Americas paved the way in eliminating these diseases. This report highlights the innovative strategies used in this subregion that helped make the EPI a success. A review of published/unpublished reports and written and oral accounts of the experiences of Immunization Advisors and national EPI managers was conducted to identify the strategies used to strengthen the Immunization program in the subregion since its implementation by countries in 1977. The results show that these include strong collective political commitment, country-specific immunization legislation, joint use of a standard coverage monitoring chart, annual meetings of national EPI managers, collaborative development of annual national Plans of Action for Immunization, coordinated implementation of vaccination campaigns, subregional oversight of surveillance and laboratory support, a performance award system for countries, and subregional standardized templates for immunization manuals and procedural guidelines. Political will and support for immunization has been particularly strong in this subregion, where 99% of EPI costs are borne by governments. Dedicated health staff and multi-country agreement and application of strategies have led to high sustained coverage and good-quality surveillance, resulting in the absence of wild polio for 34 years, measles for 25 years, CRS for 17 years, and rubella for 15 years.

En el 2017 se celebra el cuadragésimo año de la instauración del Programa Ampliado de Inmunización (PAI) por la Organización Panamericana de la Salud (OPS), la Oficina Regional de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) para las Américas. Esta fue la primera región de la OMS que obtuvo la certificación de la eliminación de la poliomielitis (1994), el sarampión (2016) y la rubéola y el síndrome de rubéola congénita (2015). La subregión de habla inglesa y holandesa del Caribe en las Américas abrió el camino a la eliminación de estas enfermedades. En el presente artículo se destacan las estrategias innovadoras utilizadas en esta subregión que contribuyeron al éxito del PAI.Se llevó a cabo una revisión de los informes publicados e inéditos y de los relatos escritos y orales de las experiencias de los Expertos en Inmunización y los gerentes nacionales del PAI con el objeto de determinar las estrategias utilizadas con miras a fortalecer el programa de vacunación en la subregión, desde su introducción en los países en 1977. Los resultados ponen de manifiesto que los programas comportaban un fuerte compromiso político colectivo, legislaciones en materia de inmunización propias de cada país, la utilización común de un registro gráfico normalizado de monitoreo de coberturas de vacunación, reuniones anuales de los gerentes nacionales del PAI, la elaboración conjunta de planes de acción anuales nacionales sobre vacunas, la ejecución coordinada de campañas de vacunación, la supervisión de la vigilancia y el apoyo a los laboratorios a escala subregional, un sistema de reconocimiento al desempeño de los países y plantillas subregionales normalizadas de los manuales de vacunación y los procedimientos recomendados. La voluntad política y el apoyo a la vacunación han sido muy sólidos en esta subregión, donde los gobiernos sufragan 99% de los costos del PAI. La existencia de personal sanitario dedicado y los acuerdos multinacionales y la aplicación de las estrategias permitieron alcanzar una alta cobertura de manera sostenida y una vigilancia de buena calidad, cuyo resultado fue la ausencia de poliomielitis salvaje durante 34 años, de sarampión durante 25 años, del síndrome de la rubéola congénita durante 17 años y de la rubéola durante 15 años.

O ano de 2017 marca o 40º aniversário da criação do Programa Ampliado de Imunização (PAI) pela Organização Pan-Americana da Saúde (OPAS), Escritório Regional da Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) nas Américas, primeira Região da OMS certificada como tendo eliminado a poliomielite (1994), o sarampo (2016) e a rubéola e síndrome da rubéola congênita (2015). A sub-região das Américas constituída pelos países do Caribe de língua inglesa e holandesa abriu caminho ao eliminar essas doenças. Este relato destaca as estratégias inovadoras usadas nesta sub-região que contribuíram para tornar o PAI um programa bem-sucedido.Foi realizada uma análise de informes publicados/inéditos e relatos orais e escritos da experiência dos assessores para assuntos de imunização e coordenadores nacionais do PAI visando identificar as estratégias aplicadas para consolidar o programa nos países da sub-região desde a sua implementação em 1977. Os resultados demonstram firme compromisso político coletivo, legislação de vacinação própria em cada país, uso conjunto de uma lista padrão para o monitoramento da cobertura, reuniões anuais dos coordenadores nacionais do PAI, desenvolvimento colaborativo de planos de ação nacionais anuais para vacinação, campanhas coordenadas de vacinação, supervisão sub-regional da vigilância e infraestrutura laboratorial, sistema de premiação dos países por bom desempenho, modelos padronizados para os manuais de vacinação e protocolos de procedimentos. A sub-região se caracteriza sobretudo pela vontade e apoio políticos para vacinação, sendo 99% do custo do PAI financiados pelos governos. Equipes de saúde diligentes, acordos entre vários países e emprego de estratégias são fatores que contribuem para elevada cobertura sustentada e vigilância de boa qualidade com a consequente não ocorrência de casos de poliomielite por vírus selvagem por 34 anos, de casos de sarampo por 25 anos, de casos de síndrome da rubéola congênita por 17 anos e de casos de rubéola por 15 anos.

Keywords: Caribbean region; Immunization; disease eradication; measles.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest None

Figures

FIGURE 1.
FIGURE 1.. Vaccination coverage monitoring chart developed by Henry Smith, first PAHO Immunization Advisor for the English- and Dutch-speaking Caribbean, 1980
FIGURE 2.
FIGURE 2.. Average coverage by vaccine (third dose of diphtheria-tetanus toxoid and pertussis (DTP3); third dose of oral or inactivated polio (Pol3); and first dose of measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR1)), English- and Dutch-speaking Caribbean, 1980–2015
FIGURE 3.
FIGURE 3.. Annual measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) coverage and reported measles and rubella cases, by year, English- and Dutch-speaking Caribbean, 1980–2015
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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