Healthier populations, everywhere

Support the WHO European Regional Office to monitor progress on the implementation of the European Immunization Agenda 2030 (EIA2030).

Establishing the business case for investment in new drugs to treat the neglected tropical diseases onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis.

Support Papua New Guinea’s application for an immunization and health system strengthening grant.

Support the WHO European Regional Office to operationalize the European Immunization Agenda 2030 (EIA2030).

Support Ghana to continue and expand malaria vaccination.

MMGH is supporting the Task Force for Global Health, US CDC and WHO in conducting cPIEs in 8 countries. This includes the development of generic training materials for the online and/or face-to-face training of evaluators and the actual conduct of the respective training sessions. MMGH staff will lead cPIEs in three countries, which includes preparation and implementation of the evaluation, the synthesis of findings, the debriefing and report writing. MMGH staff will also participate in 5 additional cPIEs and will summarise cross-learnings to share with other countries.

Evaluate the viability and impact of investment in the clinical development of a new TB vaccine.

Assist Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance in developing a vision and strategic direction for improving health worker learning and performance.

Support Papua New Guinea to apply for Gavi funding for a measles and rubella immunization campaign.

Develop and validate use cases for typhoid conjugate vaccine microarray patches (TCV-MAPs), determine which countries would use TCV-MAPs, and forecast potential demand as part of the development of the full vaccine value assessment.

MMGH is supporting Papua New Guinea in applying for Gavi funds needed to plan and implement a Measles & Rubella (MR) follow-up campaign. The campaign will also include a routine immunisation strengthening component as well as catch-up for zero-dose children, notably in hard to reach areas.

Support countries to use an existing tool to estimate the costs and benefits of implementing the Ending Cholera Roadmap 2030 and support WHO to develop an oral cholera vaccination (OCV) deployment strategy.

Identify and understand the factors that accelerated COVID-19 vaccine development and authorization timelines and develop actions to replicate these factors for vaccines needed in low- and middle-income countries.

Assessing public and private sector perspectives to identify solutions to roadblocks preventing the development and implementation of the measles-rubella microarray patch in low- and middle-income countries.

Develop and pilot technical training materials for oral cholera vaccination (OCV) campaigns.

MMGH is evaluating WHO Health Emergency Program’s role in supporting countries to conduct COVID-19 sero-epidemiologic investigations, the “Unity initiative”. This initiative developed scientifically vetted and standardised protocols to facilitate the conduct of early serologic studies in any resources setting. The purpose of these studies is to inform country actions towards protecting their vulnerable populations and citisens at large. MMGH is gathering and synthesizing information on how countries used UNITY resources (study protocols, technical assistance, financial support) and how WHO and partners managed and facilitated support. The aim is to document what worked well and what can be optimised in terms of readiness to support high-quality investigations in future large-scale outbreaks.

Support the secretariat of the WHO SAGE on immunization to synthesize evidence on select topics and draft meeting reports to facilitate policy-making.

MMGH is assisting the Inter-American Development Bank to prepare a rapid vaccine supply diagnostic study in support of work aimed at generating capacities in the countries that integrate PROSUR to produce vaccines for disease epidemics such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this project, MMGH is assessing existing vaccine manufacturing capacity in LAC region countries and regional demand and procurement mechanisms for COVID-19 and non-pandemic routine vaccines. A framework is also being developed to evaluate the optimal locations for investment to establish future vaccine manufacutring and fill and finish capabilities.

Testing regional self-sufficiency for access to the COVID-19 vaccine in Asia. 

MMGH is supporting the US CDC and WHO to validate preliminary use cases and country archetypes previously developed for seasonal influenza vaccines. MMGH is conducting staekholder surveys, interviews and workshops with global influenza experts to validate the use cases and country archetypes for seasonal influenza vaccines developed in the earlier project. These activities are also supporting the development of an analytical framework that is applicable to any influenza vaccine profile (e.g., next-generation and universal influenza vaccines). The project will help to support the full value of seasonal influenza vaccine assessment, including key market dynamics analayses and roadmaps and action plans for current and future seasonal influenza vaccine use.

Conduct a mid-term review of CEPI to help improve operations and vaccine development.

Support the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in low-and-middle-income countries and in compiling country lessons and experiences.

Identifying areas for improving pandemic readiness in the UN supply chain for biomedical supplies. 

MMGH assisted the WHO Country Office and Ministry of Health (MoH) Nepal in the evaluation of a new initiative linking supplementary immunisation activities (SIAs), against measles and rubella, with intensified follow-up of children who had missed their routine immunisation doses. MMGH collaborated with Routes 2 Results in designing a mixed methods research protocol, developing and pre-testing survey and data collection forms, and supervising a local agency carrying out the research in four provinces of the country. The work will inform the MoH of Nepal and of other countries about the effectiveness of the new interventions to strengthen routine immunisation service delivery through an SIA-based approach.

Multi-country evaluation generating evidence on the effectiveness, affordability and sustainability of eIR and eLMIS in low- and middle-income countries.

MMGH supported Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance by documenting and synthesizing its key decisions related to the COVAX Facility and COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC). Activities include a desk review, key informant interviews, and thematic analysis. The conclusions from this work will serve to improve Gavi’s current learnings on the COVAX Facility and COVAX AMC design, governance, and operationalisation. Further information on the COVAX Facility and COVAX AMC can be found on the Gavi website.

Create a guide that focuses the allocation of resources (financial and human) towards answering the most pressing research questions that will have the most significant impact on our ability to control cholera.

Development of the European regional adaptation of the global vision and strategies for immunization for the period 2021-2030.

Evaluation of the vaccine development ecosystem to identify areas for investment to support more efficient vaccine development for low-income countries and diseases with epidemic potential.

Create a product development plan and financial analysis to translate scientific discoveries and early clinical development into public health interventions to help control leishmaniasis.

Support to the International Coordinating Group (ICG) for meningitis to improve access to vaccines for the international stockpile.

MMGH is part of the Vaccine Against Invasive non-typhoidal Salmonella (Vacc-iNTS) consortium, made up of 12 partners from eight different countries including three disease-endemic countries. The initiative advances the development of an iNTS vaccine by conducting a Phase I clinical study in Europe and Africa. The project, funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme, will investigate the immunogenicity and safety of a iNTS-GMMA vaccine. As part of this effort MMGH will focus on strengthening a collaborative network to enhance disease awareness and drive vaccine advocacy.

MMGH supported the WHO Initiative for Vaccine Research (IVR) in preparing a report on the considerations for operationalising group B streptococcal (GBS) maternal vaccination as part of a Public Health Value Proposition for GBS vaccines. The report was developed on the basis of an extensive literature review and an online survey gathering information on global and country stakeholder perceptions on GBS disease, its public health importance, and the prioritisation of GBS vaccination as a means to reduce its impact.

Development of a business case for the use of macrofilaricide drugs to control onchocerciasis.

Independent evaluation of a childhood pneumonia research project.

Improving vaccine access in South-Eastern Europe Health Network member states through an improved knowledge base and procurement strategies.

MMGH supports the WHO’s Vaccine Product & Delivery Research department in defining and sizing (including a demand forecast) the use cases for a Measles Rubella vaccine micro-array patch (MAP). The use cases and their market sises are assessed and validated via expert consultation across a broad group of stakeholders, including country programme managers, global experts, and pharmaceutical and development agencies. The approach and methodology was validated by the WHO Immunisation and Vaccines Related Implementation Research Advisory Committee (IVIR-AC), Measles-Rubella MR-MAP Working group, and the Market for Information to Access Advisory Group. The project is now focusing on further understanding self-administration of MR-MAPs and will be extended to include MMR-MAPs. The project will help the WHO in better aligning MAP product development efforts to the measles-rubella control and implementation needs and the Gavi Vaccine Innovation Prioritisation Strategy (VIPS).

MMGH supported the WHO Initiative for Vaccine Research (IVR) in developing a variety of forecast scenarios for the demand of a group B streptococcal (GBS) vaccine administered through maternal immunisation. The forecast was validated by an Expert Advisory Group. Based on the potential vaccine profiles, MMGH assessed the financial viability of the vaccine for a prospective developer. The output of the work will inform the WHO Public Health Value Proposition and contribute to advocacy efforts aimed at supporting the creation of a healthy market for the vaccine.

MMGH assisted the National Immunisation Program (NIP), Ministry of Health Cambodia, and the WHO Country Office in Phnom Penh with the Gavi application process for the introduction of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. MMGH conducted a review of the earlier pilot programme implementation and derived lessons learned, facilitated the decision-making of the country Technical Working Group for Health on defining target age groups and delivery settings, and assisted in establishing detailed implementation plans including coverage monitoring, cold chain expansion, communications and demand creation. MMGH supported the NIP in responding to additional queries throughout the Gavi approval process as well as in developing robust vaccine demand forecasts and financial budgets in view of the country’s imminent transition from Gavi support. The application was approved by the Gavi Independent Review Committee (IRC) in March 2019.

MMGH supported the WHO Department of Immunisation, Vaccines and Biologicals (IVB) and the Expert Advisory Group on SAGE Evaluation (EAGSE) in assessing the relevance, effectiveness and quality of SAGE’s processes and deliverables. The evaluation was to ensure that SAGE continues to provide high quality strategic advice in all areas of the evolving immunisation and global health agenda. The project included scoping the evaluation, performing stakeholder consultations, gathering and analysing findings, facilitating the review by the EAGSE, and developing recommendations and the evaluation report.

MMGH supported the WHO Department of Immunisation, Vaccines and Biologicals (IVB) in the evaluation of strengths and weaknesses of the current Global Vaccine Action Plan (GVAP), its monitoring and evaluation and accountability framework, and the added value it provides to the global immunisation arena. The project included a comparative landscape analysis of global immunisation in 2010 and 2018, and a description of the overall progress on the plan’s goals and strategic objectives. In this project, MMGH partnered with the Task Force for Global Health.

An independent site evaluation of a multicentric surveillance project for enteric fever in India.

Supporting development of the 10-year strategic framework for measles and rubella.

MMGH supported the Eliminate Yellow Fever (EYE) Secretariat at WHO in streamlining programme governance and defining the general lines of action to serve as the foundation of a three-year multi-agency workplan. MMGH facilitated the interaction across the different partner agencies involved in the initiative and advised on the redesign of a streamlined governance structure. The streamlined governance structure should enable the initiative to have a more effective response to implementation challenges.

MMGH supported the WHO Department of Immunisation and Biologicals (IVB) in defining a logical framework to assess the barriers to access human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in middle-income countries, with a focus on affordability. The project, performed in collaboration with the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), led to the identification of a subset of countries that can benefit from specific technical assistance related to affordability and access.

Gap analysis of evidence and information on the acceptability of, and access to, maternal immunization that contributed to the development of a roadmap for advancing maternal immunization against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).

MMGH supported the Ministry of Health and the WHO Country Office of Lao PDR in the review of the National Immunisation Program (NIP) and the establishment and update of a comprehensive multi-year plan (cMYP) for 2019-2023. This plan specifically lays out the implementation and monitoring of existing and new vaccines and provides detailed insights into the financial needs and resource allocations in view of the country’s upcoming graduation from donor support.

Support the Global Task Force on Cholera Control to implement the Ending Cholera: A Roadmap to 2030 by creating guidance to assist the development of country cholera strategies.

MMGH supported the WHO Initiative for Vaccine Research (IVR) in assessing the feasibility and reliability of integrating surveillance of enteric fever (EF) and invasive non-typhoidal salmonellosis (iNTS) in the WHO-coordinated Global Invasive Bacterial Vaccine Preventable Disease Surveillance Network. In Ghana, MMGH conducted two successive evaluations of the EF and iNTS surveillance pilot programmes using a newly developed structured assessment tool. The evaluation included on-site reviews of clinical and epidemiological aspects of the surveillance system, the assessment of the participating microbiology laboratories, and of overall data quality and surveillance network management.

Mid-term progress report of the European Vaccine Action Plan 2015-2020.

MMGH supported the WHO Initiative for Vaccine Research (IVR) in updating the Preferred Product Characteristics for the Oral Cholera Vaccine. MMGH facilitated the expert meeting and coordinated the drafting of the final document providing updated guidance to vaccine developers consistent with the strategic axes of the new Cholera Roadmap.

MMGH supported the Country Programmes department of the Gavi Secretariat in defining its competency model and related training programmes. Partnering with Gavi’s Human Resource and Knowledge Management department and conducting focus group discussions, MMGH identified the key elements of the model and designed assessment tools and a training curriculum.

Support to the Myanmar Ministry of Health to strengthen leadership, management and coordination of public health programmes.

MMGH supported the WHO Department of Infectious Hazard Management (IHM) in the preparation and facilitation of a workshop on country preparedness for vaccine deployment in the event of an influenza pandemic. The main objective was to create a network of international experts that would be able to support their own country, and other countries, to develop national pandemic preparedness plans, and for participants to become educators about the need for countries to be prepared for a pandemic. MMGH revised and updated the WHO “Guidance on Development of a National Deployment and Vaccination Plan for Pandemic Influenza Vaccines” together with its associated Checklist, as well as all necessary workshop materials.

Support WHO to draft and publish the position paper on pneumococcal conjugate vaccines in infants and children under 5 years of age.

MMGH supported the WHO Regional Office for Europe in drafting operational guidelines for programme managers to measure inequities in immunisation, with a focus on understanding the root causes and implementing solutions to achieve equity in access to immunisation.

Develop a multi-sectorial investment case to support advocacy for fundraising to implement the Ending Cholera: A Global Roadmap to 2030 strategy.

MMGH supported the WHO Regional Office for Europe in developing a strategic framework to address the challenges faced by the middle-income countries in the region. This framework informed the development of a detailed roadmap to implement the recommended actions.

MMGH supported the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific in developing a guide for accelerating control of Japanese encephalitis (JE). The guide outlines regional targets, defines strategies and activities to accomplish these targets, and provides a framework for countries to develop national plans tailored to their situation. MMGH collaborated with the WHO Regional Office, country representatives and global experts to facilitate a meeting, draft the guidance and work towards an endorsed and funded strategy for JE control in the region.

Development of a business case for investment and further development of a schistosomiasis vaccine.

A tablet-based Influenza Vaccine Post-Introduction Evaluation (IPIE) tool was developed by MMGH jointly with WHO, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute to provide a systematic approach to assess the influenza vaccine implementation process. The tool was used in three middle-income countries: Belarus, Morocco and Thailand. Data from the three countries highlighted a number of critical factors related to: health workers as a target group and as key influencers; unique challenges for acceptance of the vaccine in pregnant women; and the need for strengthening adverse events reporting and of potential vaccine hesitancy. The assessments led to improvements in the countries’ influenza vaccination programmes. The IPIE tool was found useful for delineating operational strengths and weaknesses of seasonal influenza vaccination programmes.

Assess global supply, demand and price dynamics for key vaccine markets and advise on how to best address constraints to safe, effective, quality and affordable vaccines for all. 

MMGH supported the Global Task Force for Cholera Control in the definition of the new Cholera Control strategy. MMGH focused on the design of the governance and funding framework, as well as the costing of the Democratic Republic of Congo case study. The strategy was endorsed in October 2017 by the Cholera Stakeholders meeting in Annecy.

MMGH supported the WHO Regional Office for Africa (AFRO) in performing the mid-term review of the Regional Strategic Plan for Immunisation 2014-2020. MMGH prepared an extensive desk review, facilitated a face-to-face session of the external review panel, summarised and consolidated review findings, assisted in the development of recommendations and in the presentation of a final evaluation report to the AFRO Regional Immunisation Technical Advisory Group.

MMGH supported the Monitoring & Evaluation Unit of the Gavi Secretariat in performing a review and synthesis of Gavi-funded data strengthening partner activities of WHO, UNICEF, US CDC, and WB and presented findings at a Monitoring, Data Systems and Strategic Information partner workshop which defined the future direction of this work.

MMGH supported the WHO Global Vaccine Action Plan (GVAP) Secretariat in developing a process and structure of the GVAP follow-up plan for the period 2021 – 2030. MMGH performed in-depth consultations with key stakeholders, presented summary findings and a suggested way forward to the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) in Immunisation, including the development of a timeline and plan of operations for submission of the new GVAP to the 2020 World Health Assembly.

MMGH supported the WHO in assessing the functioning of the Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) Working Group of the Global Task Force on Cholera Control (GTFCC). MMGH performed stakeholder interviews and prepared a White Paper that summarised successes and areas for improvement contributing to the redesign of the WG processes.

MMGH supported the Ministry of Health and the WHO Country Office of Lao PDR in developing two successful Gavi applications for the introduction of Human Papillomavirus and Rotavirus vaccines.

MMGH supported the WHO Infectious Hazard Management (IHM) team in performing an evaluation of the management processes of the Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) campaign in Haiti. MMGH conducted interviews with key stakeholders and summarised the findings to support the Global Task Force on Cholera Control (GTFCC) processes re-engineering discussion.

MMGH supported the WHO Initiative for Vaccine Research (IVR) in facilitating a Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation (SAGE) Working Group review of the scientific evidence and programmematic considerations supporting use of typhoid vaccines, with a focus on conjugate vaccines. The resulting vaccine recommendations were endorsed by the WHO SAGE in October 2017 and published as a WHO Position Paper.

MMGH supported the WHO Immunisation Practices Advisory Committee (IPAC) Secretariat in revising the committee’s Terms of Reference (ToR). Based on information collected by MMGH during a series of in-depth stakeholder interviews and discussions, the functions of the committee were aligned with the new WHO structure and workplan as well as with those of other WHO global immunisation advisory groups.

MMGH supported the WHO in conducting a Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation supported project that investigated and analysed the status of maternal immunisation delivery strategies in low and middle-income countries. This included developing a typology of health systems in terms of how they deliver vaccines to pregnant women, and exploring approaches to improve country readiness for delivering new maternal vaccines, such as those against Respiratory Syncytial Virus and Group B Streptococcus.