Tanzania’s electronic immunization registry rolls out new features to respond to COVID-19
Sep 10, 2020
Posted in Policies & Practices, Products
As COVID-19 rattles many countries and their health systems, Tanzania is turning to its robust network of digital health systems to help curb the pandemic. Under the government’s strong leadership, the Tanzania Immunization Registry (TImR) has been in use since 2017. Now, the country is exploring new features for TImR that will strengthen the system and enable its role in the pandemic response.
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Going beyond denominators: Defining the value of electronic immunization registries to solve for health system barriers
Aug 27, 2020
Posted in Monitoring & Evaluation, People, Practices, Products
Data can make the invisible visible. More complete, reliable, and real-time information on health trends, coverage rates, and service gaps can help strengthen health systems and better allocate precious resources. This fact has been recognized by a growing number of countries embracing electronic immunization registries (EIRs) to help monitor individual immunization schedules and vaccination histories. But even as countries adopt EIRs and understand their value, there are many questions about how best to implement them, as well as their effectiveness, cost, and impact on health outcomes.
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New consortium commits to strengthening immunization services in the face of COVID-19
Aug 17, 2020
Posted in BID Learning Network (BLN), News
Last month, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) launched a new project that will accelerate and strengthen routine immunization programs by identifying and addressing bottlenecks to the planning, delivery, demand, and uptake of vaccines. The five year, $55 million project, called MOMENTUM 3B, will be led by the JSI Research and Training Institute, in close partnership with PATH, CORE Group, Results for Development, The Manoff Group, and Gobee Group.
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Journal article assesses the costs and savings of introducing electronic immunization registries
Aug 7, 2020
Posted in Monitoring & Evaluation, People, Products
As COVID-19 squeezes health systems, clinics and hospitals around the world are finding themselves strained by the global pandemic. Digital and data systems can help countries respond to these evolving health trends and demands. A recent journal article about the BID Initiative, published in the Pan African Medical Journal, assesses the incremental costs of implementing electronic immunization registries (EIRs) in Tanzania and Zambia. Using data from both countries, BID conducted a micro-costing study about the service delivery and logistical costs of EIRs.
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Governing data for better health
Jul 8, 2020
Posted in Policies & Practices
Health data can do enormous good—if they are governed with a trustworthy, nimble, and equitable approach. Here’s how.
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Connecting in the time of COVID-19
Jul 2, 2020
Posted in BID Learning Network (BLN), People
Progress toward health equity relies on strong connections with governments, with communities, and with individuals. We cannot design new approaches without making these communities and individuals central to the design process. We cannot test new products without their feedback. And we cannot extend the reach of health services without their participation.
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Will COVID-19 accelerate digital transformation? 5 ways the development community can “build back better”
Jun 3, 2020
As the global response to COVID-19 accelerates, thoughtful leaders in every sector are asking: how can we structure our response to not only respond to the needs of today, but to ‘build back better’ once the crisis is over?
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BLN offers virtual platform for peer learning as countries square off against COVID-19
May 27, 2020
Posted in BID Learning Network (BLN), People, Policies & Practices
On a Thursday last month, the Zoom line crackled with greetings and introductions. BID Learning Network (BLN) members from more than a dozen different countries and professional backgrounds convened for a webinar presentation about the application of electronic immunization registries (EIRs) to the COVID-19 pandemic. The webinar, which opened with two presentations from Pakistan and Tanzania, was followed by a discussion about maintaining immunization services even as many countries struggle to curb COVID-19. Countries shared challenges, their early lessons from the pandemic, and their concerns for the coming months. It was a chance to talk candidly with peers about a rapidly evolving outbreak that has gripped every corner of the globe.
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Maintaining commitment to immunization in Africa through COVID-19 and beyond
May 14, 2020
Posted in BID Learning Network (BLN), News, Policies & Practices, Products
The COVID-19 pandemic is putting a strain on health systems worldwide. The increasing demand on health facilities and health care workers has dramatically shifted resources from essential routine health services—such as immunization—to COVID-19 response as countries put in place measures to control the infection and limit the impact on health systems and economies. However, the world has learned from past outbreaks of diseases like Ebola that disruption of immunization services—even for brief periods—can result in outbreaks and unnecessary deaths.
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3 ways immunization data tools are flexing to fight COVID-19 in Africa
Apr 24, 2020
Digital and data tools and approaches first introduced to strengthen immunization services can be used to understand and curb the devastating impacts of pandemics like COVID-19.
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