Pandemic Influenza Vaccines: National Deployment and Vaccination Plans

Pandemic products such as antiviral medicines, vaccines and diagnostics play a critical role in the control and treatment of pandemic influenza. National deployment and vaccination plans for pandemic influenza vaccines are national tools which ensure that during a pandemic, processes and structures are functional so that vaccines are rapidly deployed and administered to target populations. The existence of a national deployment and vaccination plans for pandemic influenza vaccines is also a pre-requisite in the request process to access vaccines from WHO secured stockpiles. The learning package consists of 10 modules, which include video lectures and downloadable presentations that have been updated with the latest information and developments to help countries develop or revise their national deployment and vaccination plans.

Course information

Overview: National deployment and vaccination plans for pandemic influenza vaccines represent an important foundation for an effective and efficient pandemic influenza deployment response, which should be reflected in successful vaccination of the target population with no vaccine wastage and optimal operational efficiency. Through a series of short video lectures, this course provides a concise and easily accessible overview of planning considerations for countries to develop and update their national deployment and vaccination plans on the use and deployment of pandemic influenza vaccines. The course also encloses short quizzes to test your knowledge. It targets professionals in the public and private sectors who are responsible for planning and managing deployment and vaccination operations at all levels as well as WHO headquarters, regional and in-country personnel that could be involved in pandemic influenza vaccine deployment activities.

Learning objectives: By the end of this course, participants should be able to:

• characterize the main features of a national pandemic deployment and vaccination plan for pandemic influenza vaccines, or in short, a NDVP
• list key concepts, processes and structures that should be functional to develop and implement a NDVP

Course duration: Approximately 1 hour.

Certificates: A record of achievement will be provided to participants who score 80% or higher on each assessment. Participants who receive a Record of Achievement can also download an Open Badge for this course. Click here to learn how.

Course contents

• Module 1 – Vaccination Strategies:

  This module provides a general introduction to pandemic influenza vaccine deployment and discusses relevant factors which determine vaccination approaches as well as various planning considerations.

• Module 2 – Management and Organisation:

  By the end of this module, participants should be able to: explain the main structures and actors involved in the national management of vaccine deployment and vaccination operations, as well as highlight the potential type of protocols and indicators that could be used at country level.

• Module 3 – Legal and Regulatory Planning:

  By the end of this module, participants should be able to: explain the main legal and regulatory issues related to approval for use and importing of pandemic vaccine and related medical products.

• Module 4 – Communication and Information Management:

  By the end of this module, participants should be able to: explain the key types of data relevant for management information and communication systems; ensure that these can inform rapid decision-making throughout deployment and vaccination operations.

• Module 5 – Human Resources and Security:

  By the end of this module, participants should be able to: explain planning considerations that ensure availability of a suitable, adequately trained and protected workforce throughout the pandemic deployment and vaccination stages.

• Module 6 – Public Communication:

  By the end of this module, participants should be able to: explain the basic elements of a communication plan spanning all stages of vaccine deployment and vaccination activities.

• Module 7 – Supply Chain Management:

  By the end of this module, participants should be able to: explain various processes and planning considerations for national pandemic vaccine supply chain management.

• Module 8 – Managing Waste:

  By the end of this module, participants should be able to: describe how to plan and manage the safe disposal of any expected and additional medical equipment, consumables and hazardous medical waste that are generated during a pandemic response.

• Module 9 – Post-deployment Surveillance and Management of Adverse Events following Immunization:

  By the end of this module, participants should be able to: plan for a post-deployment surveillance system to monitor safety and effectiveness of pandemic influenza vaccines.

• Module 10 – Termination of Deployment and Vaccination Operations:

  By the end of this module, participants should be able to: list the activities that should be planned for when it comes to termination of deployment and vaccination operations.

• Additional Resources:

  Contains a list of relevant course documents, a checklist and guidelines on regulatory preparedness.