Workshop to Analyze Vaccination Coverage in the Region of the Americas (Lima, 6–8 December 2017)

The workshop to analyze and discuss vaccination coverage in the Region of the Americas was held in Lima, Peru, on 6-8 December 2017, drawing on participation from 25 professionals with experience in managing immunization programs in countries of the Region, along with a team of facilitators from PAHO.

The opening session was followed by a presentation describing the status of vaccination coverage in the Region, with an emphasis on the disparities seen at the subnational (municipal) level. Country representatives explained the problems they have faced in seeking to expand vaccination coverage, and regarding the innovative strategies they are implementing. These contributions fueled group discussions in which the participants analyzed the most serious challenges facing the Region, as well as the most viable national and regional interventions for addressing them. A participatory exercise, facilitated by a computer application,2 led to a consensus on priority problems and interventions.

At the end of the workshop, the participants discussed a number of interventions that could be implemented in the short term to overcome problems in vaccination coverage, while PAHO’s team of regional advisors committed to supporting national initiatives and to promoting certain regional interventions described in this report.