In recognition of the vital role that immunization plays in global public health, EMPHNET explores the transformative power of vaccines and the journey towards Life Course Immunization. Vaccines stand as a steadfast shield against diseases that know no boundaries and they have the unique ability to protect individuals at every stage of life, from the most vulnerable newborns to seasoned seniors. 

To examine this matter further, EMPHNET held a webinar titled “Life Course Immunization: A Safer World for All Ages” on Tuesday, September 19, 2023, as part of its WEBi series.

The session was conducted by three subject experts in the field namely: the Life Course Immunization Lead and COVID-19 Vaccination Regional Coordinator at WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (EMRO), Dr. Mohammed Osama Mere; the Health Emergency Director in the Health Emergency Department at Qatar Ministry of Health, Dr. Suha Shawqi Albayyat; the Acting Lead of the Immunization Delivery Science Team in the Global Immunization Division (GID) at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Dr. Ciara Sugerman. Furthermore, it was facilitated by the Technical Officer at EMPHNET, Ms. Leen Daoud.

In his presentation titled “Life Course Immunization, Strategies for Strengthening Immunization Policies and Service Delivery”, Dr. Mere spoke about the AI2030 vision aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which envisions a world where everyone, at every age, fully benefits from vaccines. Within this context, he mentioned several impactful goals including reducing mortality and morbidity from vaccine-preventable diseases, ensuring equitable access to vaccines, and strengthening immunization within primary health care.

He also discussed the benefits of adopting the Life Course approach to vaccination and provided insights into the required vaccinations for different age groups, from pregnant women to older individuals. He highlighted the WHO recommendations and guidance for catch-up vaccination. He then concluded his presentation by reviewing WHO’s vaccination tables and he left the audience with a valuable message: "It is always better to vaccinate late than never.”

In her presentation titled “Successful Vaccination Programs: Addressing Barriers to Equitable Access & Building Trust in Vaccines, Experience from Qatar”, Dr. Albayyat focused on Qatar's successful vaccination program. She provided context for Qatar's healthcare infrastructure, highlighting key facilities such as Primary Health Care Clinics (PHCC). She then highlighted the most significant immunization barriers including; access, confidence, and trust in vaccines. Dr. Albayyat stressed the need for tailored strategies to enhance vaccine confidence and emphasized that access plays a crucial role in achieving this goal as vaccination services may not always be convenient or easily accessible.

Concluding her presentation, Dr. Albayyat shared success stories from Qatar on the success of routine vaccination, COVID-19 vaccination, flu vaccination, and the introduction of new vaccines.

In the webinar’s third presentation titled “Integrating Life Course Vaccination into Health Programs – Challenges, Considerations, and Best Practices”, Dr. Sugerman defined integration and its different aspects, whether related to service delivery, data systems, supervision, supply chain management, or planning and budgeting processes.

She underlined the rationale for integration such as enabling multiple contact points for immunization, and more. She also identified the health system building blocks across which integration can occur, encompassing leadership and governance, health systems finance, among others. She shared country examples from Cambodia and Nigeria where early non-communicable disease screening and counseling were integrated with COVID-19 vaccination.

Finally, she highlighted key considerations when integrating immunization with other interventions, including factors related to the intervention itself and the broader health system context.

Following the presentations, Ms. Daoud facilitated the Q&A session, where participants and presenters engaged in the discussion. She then concluded the session by thanking the speakers and the attendees for their participation.