CoVID-19 Vaccine Implementation Program
The CoVID-19 Vaccine Implementation Program (CoVIP), a program of The Task Force for Global Health, helps low- and middle-income countries deploy and evaluate COVID-19 vaccines with the ultimate aim of establishing sustainable systems for adult immunization programs. We work with country partners throughout all stages of vaccine introduction from preparation through implementation and evaluation, providing support through financial grants and direct technical assistance.
The COVID-19 Pandemic
With the rapid spread of COVID-19 and the immense death toll, the disease has presented unique challenges for ministries of health to be able to protect their communities. The development of vaccines to combat COVID-19 provided a solution for countries to reduce transmission and the health implications, but the immunization solution is only useful if vaccines get to the people who need them. Currently, the administration of COVID-19 vaccines is only reaching adequate rates in some countries in certain regions of the world such as the United States and United Kingdom where well-resourced health systems have quickly adapted delivery strategies to COVID-19 requirements.
Historically, countries have focused on childhood immunizations as part of the long-established Expanded Program on Immunizations led by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Due to these efforts, countries have seen major success in reducing childhood deaths and disabilities caused by vaccine-preventable diseases. Poliovirus infections have fallen by 99%, and some five million people have escaped paralysis since immunization programs were implemented, according to the WHO. Between 2000 and 2008, measles deaths dropped worldwide by over 78%, and some regions have a target of eliminating the disease. Building on this experience, countries are in varying stages of providing the COVID-19 vaccine to their populations, but many health systems have yet to build the infrastructure necessary to deliver vaccines on an epidemic or pandemic scale. Additionally, due to the nature of the pandemic, the implementation of vaccination campaigns requires different delivery strategies. This gap in capacity presents a major challenge to ending this pandemic because low vaccination rates anywhere are a risk for people everywhere.
Our Goal
CoVIP ensures that select low- and middle-income countries are ready and able to deploy, effectively use, and evaluate COVID-19 vaccines as they become available in order to:
Protect People from COVID-19
Enhance Global Health Security
Strengthen Capacity to Vaccinate
We do this by providing support for:
- Planning and implementation: assisting countries in developing implementation plans and increasing their capacity to receive and rapidly administer COVID-19 vaccines.
- Monitoring and evaluation: supporting countries to monitor vaccine delivery, use, timeliness, safety and effectiveness following distribution of vaccines with the country’s regulatory approval.
- Dissemination: Sharing lessons learned with national and global stakeholders.
Who We Are
CoVIP is a small multi-disciplinary team with expertise in immunization program planning and implementation, and project management. The program management team is based in Atlanta, GA, U.S. at The Task Force for Global Health, and provides oversight and assistance to a team of field consultants who work directly with ministries of health and other partners in countries. CoVIP works closely with sister programs at The Task Force including the Partnership for Influenza Vaccine Introduction (PIVI), the Training Programs in Epidemiology and Public Health Interventions Network (TEPHINET), and the Brighton Collaboration. CoVIP also collaborates with technical advisory groups at the CDC so their expertise can support country immunization program planners.
The Task Force for Global Health
The Task Force, founded in 1984 to advance health equity, works with partners in more than 150 countries to eliminate diseases, ensure access to vaccines and essential medicines, and strengthen health systems to protect populations. As a trusted convener, The Task Force serves as the secretariat or administrative hub for multiple global health coalitions, networks, and partnerships. With this expertise, The Task Force is an ideal hub to lead the CoVIP effort , acting as a catalyst to support countries with the ability to contract services quickly with other partner agencies, recruit and deploy technical experts, and quickly scale up or down as needed in response to emerging needs.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The U.S. CDC is the main funder of CoVIP. The CDC is also a primary technical collaborator for many of The Task Force's vaccine programs, including the Partnership for Influenza Vaccine Introduction (PIVI). CDC epidemiologists and other technical experts work closely with the CoVIP team to engage partner countries. CDC experts participate in CoVIP’s strategic planning and are active members of the leadership team.
The Task Force’s CoVIP provides technical and financial support to:
- Assist with implementation of vaccine roll-out including subnational microplanning for deployment;
- Assist in the development of protocols for introduction of new vaccines, the development of communication materials to engage policy makers and increase demand for vaccines;
- Strengthen national immunization advisory groups in evidence-based policy making;
- Support countries and partners in the management and distribution of vaccines and therapeutics and related supplies;
- Assist program monitoring and evaluation, data management and analysis, and evaluation of vaccine safety including strengthening information systems such as safety surveillance systems and adverse event reporting systems;
- Support work around vaccine demand creation, including building vaccine confidence with accurate, risk communications;
- Design and strengthen surveillance programs such as Vaccine Preventable Disease Surveillance;
- Develop post-introduction evaluations, performance evaluation of specific systems and planning and implementation of vaccine effectiveness evaluations;
- Assist program planning and policy development from strategy to implementation including targeting of special populations;
- Strengthen National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups;
- Enhance workforce development, training methods, and needs assessment.
Header photo: Monitoring for COVID-19 with temperature checks at point of entry on May 5, 2020 in Kaya, Burkina Faso. Photo courtesy of Aroun Koidima, Burkina FELTP.
