According to different surveys conducted in Rwanda, the rate of Fully Immunized Children (FIC) has reached and maintained to more than 90% for several years. Due to high routine immunization coverage and periodic supplementary immunization activities (SIAs), the country is on track to meet global target of Vaccine preventable diseases control, elimination and eradication. In fact, the last case of wild polio virus was reported in 1993, neonatal tetanus has been eliminated in 2004 and Rwanda is in process to implement measles elimination mode of surveillance countrywide.

Rwanda has made ​​tremendous progress in reducing child mortality since 2000. The infant mortality rate per 1 000 live birth dropped from 106 in 2000 to 32 in 2014. Currently, the country offers 12 antigens in routine immunization and 11 of them are provided to children, thus vaccination has certainly contributed to achieve MDG 4 in country.

All these achievements mentioned above are the result of synergic collaboration between Government and all stakeholders in vaccination. As Paediatricians’ Association is one of the key partners in vaccination, the Rwanda Pediatric Association organized a 2 days symposium in September 2015 with support from Ministry of Health, World health organization (WHO),  MERCK and GSK.

The symposium proved evidence of continued scientific engagement of the Association to keep up the best practices as there is a need of sharing scientific experiences on vaccination and vaccine preventable diseases surveillance.

The opening ceremony of the symposium was officially presided over by Honorable Minister of Health, Dr. Agnes Binagwaho, and WHO Country Office was the Key Note Speaker.

The objectives of the symposium were the following:

To increase awareness of Paediatricians  on vaccine preventable diseases and discuss about immunization program progress,
To share the Rwandan and International experiences on vaccination and new vaccines.
To determine the role of Paediatricians in vaccine preventable diseases surveillance

Following topics were presented and discussed during the symposium:

Immunology of vaccine, Overview of the vaccination status in Rwanda (background, achievements, partners), Anti- microbial resistance, IPV and switch from  t-OPV to b-OPV, Surveillance of vaccine preventable diseases, IMCI, HIV vaccine Trial, HPV vaccine, Rotavirus vaccine and Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine impact studies  in Rwanda, Role of Paediatrician in vaccine preventable disease surveillance.

The Paediatricians symposium adopted following strong recommendations for the near future in order to strengthen immunization programs in the country:

Organize a national workshop deep training for Paediatricians on surveillance of vaccine preventable diseases in Rwanda in 2016 given the current challenges around reporting
Avail quality data record system that can be accessible to researchers
Organize the Rwanda Paediatric Annual conference in August 2016
Develop a memo of understanding with vaccines pharmaceutical companies for research projects in Rwanda that will help in getting accurate local data
___________________________________________________

For more information, please contact:

GASHEREBUKA  Jean Bosco, Email: gasherebukab [at] who.int (gasherebukab[at]who[dot]int)