Brazzaville, 28 February 2006 -- The 13th meeting of the Task Force on Immunization (TFI) in Africa and the 12th meeting of the African Regional Inter-Agency Coordination Committee (ARICC) will take place from 28 February to 3 March 2006, in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo. 

The TFI and ARICC meetings, held annually since 1993, provide a forum for the review of the regional immunisation activities to control vaccine preventable diseases, which cause nearly one million of childhood deaths in Africa every year.

The general objective of the four-day meetings is to contribute to the strengthening of national immunization systems in the African Region through the review of lessons learnt in the Regional Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) whilst making recommendations that guide priority actions for 2006.

Specifically, the participants will report on achievements recorded in the implementation of recommendations of the 2004 TFI and ARICC meetings as well as on the utilization of resources during the period under review with a view to obtaining commitment from partners for 2006. The two meetings will also assess progress made in 2005 and agree on major actions for 2006 in polio eradication, other accelerated disease control initiatives and routine immunization.

In 2005, significant progress was made in the polio eradication initiative as evidenced by an 80% reduction in confirmed polio cases in all countries affected regionally, resulting in Niger being removed from the list of endemic countries. Although Nigeria still remains endemic, there has been a reduction in the number of confirmed polio cases in that country.

In addition there was more than 60 percent reduction in measles mortality in the region, in 2005, compared to the 1999 rate. Other successes include the introduction of new vaccines, Hepatitis B in 23 countries and Haemophillus Influenza Type B in 13 countries eligible for GAVI support.

The region documented major accomplishments in routine immunisation activities as the four highly populated countries (Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia and Nigeria) reported increases in vaccination coverage in 2005.Half of the countries in the Africa region achieved the targeted 80 percent routine immunisation coverage.

While many successes have been scored in immunisation activities in the region, the persistent high intensity of wild poliovirus transmission in Nigeria, and the low routine immunization coverage in many countries in the region pose real challenges in attaining regional EPI targets.

The meeting is expected to be attended by nearly 200 participants representing different countries and over 20 organizations including United Nations agencies, multilateral development institutions, Governmental and Non Governmental Organizations and private sector organizations working to improve the health situation, particularly immunisation coverage in Africa.

For more information contact:

Technical contact

Dr Deo Nshimirimana

Regional Advisor Vaccine Preventable Diseases

Tel. in Harare: 263 4 746000 

Tel. Domicile : + 41 794755470

Email: nshimirimanad [at] afro.who.int

Media contact

Zora Machekanyanga/Flavienne Issembe Information Officer 

Tel. in Harare: +263 4 746000

Tel. in Brazzaville: +47 241 39382 +47 241 39352

Email: machekanyangaz [at] afro.who.int

Email: issembef [at] afro.who.int