USAID COVID-19 Implementing Partners Forum Mini-Conference
Published on August 25, 2023
The USAID COVID-19 Vaccine Technical Assistance Implementing Partners (IPs) Forum is a platform for bi-directional sharing of updates, experiences, and ideas. Since 2021, MOMENTUM Routine Immunization Transformation and Equity has served as the technical lead on the IP Forum secretariat, working closely with USAID and Data.FI. IP Forum meetings featured speakers with expertise on vaccine acceptance, confidence, and uptake; supply chain management; strategies to reach priority populations; data availability, quality, and utilization, among others.
The final learning exchange was a hybrid mini-conference held on July 19, 2023, in Washington D.C. The theme of the mini-conference was “Sustaining and Applying COVID-19 Innovations for Primary Health Care and Routine Immunization”. This theme examined the numerous lessons learned from diverse innovations developed during the pandemic, and how these valuable insights can be applied to shape our future and strengthen primary health care (PHC) and routine immunization (RI) programs. View the mini-conference opening remarks.
To address this conference topic, the mini-conference was divided into three sessions that focused on the following key themes:
Session 1: Reaching the Hard-to-Reach and Priority Populations
Effective strategies to reach vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations, aiming to ensure equitable access to essential healthcare services and immunization programs.
Session 2: Strengthening Data Availability, Monitoring, and Decision-making
Innovations that helped strengthen data availability, monitoring, and utilization for informed decision-making.
Session 3: Addressing Vaccine Confidence and Acceptance
Strategies to enhance vaccine confidence and acceptance within communities, seeking innovative approaches to overcome hesitancy
In addition to plenary sessions, the event featured a poster session featuring IPs’ insights and approaches to reaching the hard-to-reach and priority populations and strengthening data availability, monitoring, and decision-making. View the poster presentations.
The insights and recommendations generated during this forum could inform future strategies to build more resilient healthcare systems. As we transition away from the COVID-19 emergency response, we must remain mindful of the crucial cross-cutting strategies that played a significant role in successfully implementing vaccination efforts. These strategies encompass partner coordination, community engagement, performance recognition, utilization of digital tools, person-centered care, and others. View the mini-conference closing remarks.