UNICEF and World Vision carry out training in Amazonas to expand early childhood immunization

Vaccination

Meeting brings together health and education professionals with the aim of strengthening intersectoral teams in UNICEF Seal municipalities

The 55 municipalities in Amazonas that are on the UNICEF Seal, 2021-2024 edition, participate this Friday (15), in Manaus, in the Meeting “Immunizing is caring: who loves vaccines”, promoted by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF ), in partnership with Visão Mundial, the organization implementing the UNICEF Seal in Amazonas. The objective is to promote new possibilities for achieving vaccination coverage through the Active Vaccination Search (BAV) and Active School Search (BAE) strategies in each region. The event takes place from 8am to 5pm, at the Movement Methodist Church, located at Rua Terezina, nº 80, Nossa Senhora das Graças neighborhood.

“The Active Vaccination Search meeting aims to strengthen intersectoral actions between health and education and is in partnership with the Ministry of Health, which is advancing with programmatic alignment so that BAV UNICEF can make differentiated contributions to the local microplanning strategy and the movement national vaccination campaign. This articulation will contribute to increasing vaccination and, thus, achieving the UNICEF Seal target of 95% coverage, as established by the World Health Organization”,

says Neideana Ribeiro, Health and Nutrition Officer at UNICEF in Manaus.

Between November and December, World Vision, implementing partner of the UNICEF Seal, also held face-to-face meetings of the Active Vaccination Search in Acre, Rondônia and Roraima, to train municipalities participating in the UNICEF Seal with tools and strategies for Active Vaccination Search (BAV), focused on intersectoral work, population engagement, dialogue with families and service involvement, for high-quality vaccination actions organized on a local and territorial basis.

“The Health Surveillance Foundation has been committed to contributing to the immunization of each child, especially those in vulnerable situations, which is possible through partnerships like this with the UNICEF Seal municipalities. We know that combating the inequality that plagues Brazilian children requires cooperation and coordination, and BAV is an important part of this strategic action, in providing a healthy childhood for a better society with protected children”,

said Alexsandro Xavier de Melo, head of the Amazonas Epidemiological Surveillance Department.

“The face-to-face meetings are part of the UNICEF Seal methodology, which also includes remote training and sharing of content and instruments continuously throughout the edition. Amazonas is the fourth and last to hold the Active Vaccination Search event and we are very pleased with the mass participation of the UNICEF Seal municipalities, which represents the commitment and engagement of all managers and their respective municipal teams”,

declared Lucinete Bezerra, project coordinator at World Vision.

UNICEF seal

The UNICEF Seal is a UNICEF initiative to strengthen municipal public policies aimed at children and adolescents. By adhering to the UNICEF Seal spontaneously, municipalities are committed to keeping their public policy agenda for childhood and adolescence as a priority. The methodology includes monitoring social indicators and implementing actions that help the municipality comply with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which in Brazil is reflected in the Child and Adolescent Statute. The success of the UNICEF Seal is the result of the partnership between UNICEF and state and municipal governments through integrated and intersectoral action. The current edition (2021-2024) has the participation of 2,023 municipalities from 18 states, where more than 17 million children and adolescents live.

Vaccine Active Search

Active Vaccination Search is a UNICEF strategy to collaborate with municipalities to guarantee childhood immunization. Using a social methodology and a technological tool – which will be made available free of charge to municipalities – the initiative helps to identify children under 5 years of age who are late in vaccination or not vaccinated; establish strategies for referring them to health services and vaccination updates; monitor vaccination coverage and monitor the vaccination status of the target population; and identify and respond to vulnerabilities that lead to non-vaccination. The strategy encourages the participation of different areas in BAV – such as Education, Health, Social Assistance, among others – strengthening the network to guarantee rights. For the Active Vaccination Search, UNICEF has a strategic partnership with Pfizer and the support of the José Luiz Egydio Setúbal Foundation.

School Active Search – BAE

Active School Search is a strategy composed of a social methodology and a technological tool made available free of charge to states and municipalities. It was developed by UNICEF, in partnership with the National Union of Municipal Education Directors (Undime) and with support from the National Collegiate of Municipal Social Assistance Managers (Congemas) and the National Council of Municipal Health Secretariats (Conasems). The intention is to support governments in identifying, registering, controlling and monitoring children and adolescents who are out of school or at risk of dropping out. Through Active School Search, municipalities and states have concrete data that will make it possible to plan, develop and implement public policies that contribute to guaranteeing the rights of girls and boys. The School Active Search brings together representatives from different areas – Education, Health, Social Assistance, Planning, etc., thus strengthening the protection network.

*With information from consultancy

read more

Government and Unicef ​​join efforts to strengthen policies for children and adolescents in AM

“Zero dose” children: how vulnerabilities produce vaccine exclusion

Brazilian vaccination is a model for the world, but faces challenges