189227 Status of implementation of rotavirus vaccination in the Americas

Tuesday, October 28, 2008: 3:20 PM

Lucia Helena De Oliveira, MPH , Fch-Im/paho, Pan American Health Organization, Washington, D.C., DC
Carolina Danovaro, MD, MPH , Fch-Im/paho, Pan American Health Organization, Washington, D.C., DC
Ana Maria Bispo, MD , Fch-Im/paho, Pan American Health Organization, Washington, D.C., DC
Umesh Parashar , Division of Viral Diseases, CDC, Atlanta, GA
John R. Wecker, PhD , Rotavirus Vaccine Program, PATH, Seattle, WA
Cuauhtemoc Ruiz Matus, MD , Fch-Im/paho, Pan American Health Organization, Washington, D.C., DC
Jon K. Andrus, MD , Fch-Im/paho, Pan American Health Organization, Washington, D.C., DC
In Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), rotavirus diarrhea causes approximately 15,000 deaths, 75,000 hospitalizations, 2 million clinic visits, and 10 million cases of rotavirus diarrhea annually. Two safe rotavirus vaccines are available that are effective in preventing severe illness. To date, seven countries in Latin America, Brazil, Ecuador, El Salvador, Panama, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Venezuela have introduced the rotavirus vaccine. For successful rotavirus vaccine introduction, the lessons learned re-emphasize the critical need for countries to have precise plans that will ensure that infrastructure capacity for program implementation. Most lessons identified come from the first countries to introduce this vaccine, and they relate to programmatic feasibility, including: cold chain; information systems for coverage monitoring; training and supervision; adverse event monitoring; vaccine supply management; and financial sustainability. The experiences shared among early adopters through different forums, have facilitated the vaccine introduction in other countries, and should serve to facilitate the introduction of other new vaccines. Regional networks, including rotavirus strain surveillance and adverse event monitoring, provide information that extend the knowledge base and provide useful evidence for decision-making. Countries actively participating in these networks have greater opportunities to discuss and improve their plans for new vaccine introduction and evaluate the impact of the intervention. The lessons learned support the strategic vision for new vaccine introduction in the Americas. This experience provides encouraging evidence that the rapid uptake of the rotavirus vaccine will continue, reaching the children who need it most.

Learning Objectives:
1. Articulate the disease burden of rotavirus caused diarrhea in countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. 2. Describe at least three important lessons learned in the Americas from the introduction of rotavirus vaccine. 3. Discuss how these lessons learned will be important for the introduction of other new vaccines of pubic health significance in developing countries.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the Regional Advisor with the Immunization Unit of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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See more of: Epidemiology