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E u r o p e a n C o n g r e s s o n
Vaccines & Vaccination
and Gynecologic Oncology
Journal of Clinical Immunology and Allergy
ISSN: 2471-304X
O c t o b e r 2 6 - 2 7 , 2 0 1 8
B u d a p e s t , H u n g a r y
Vaccines & Vaccination and Gynecologic Oncology 2018
Page 36
Biography
Maurice Gatera is an Epidemiologist; he has worked as Director
of the Vaccine Preventable Diseases Division of the Rwanda
Ministry of Health, responsible for overseeing and coordinating
all immunizations in Rwanda. He has supervised the rollout
of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, human papillomavirus
vaccine, rotavirus vaccine, and measles and rubella vaccine. He
hasbeenalsoaMemberoftheGAVIAlliance(formerlytheGlobal
Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation) Global Accelerated
Vaccine Initiative HPV subteam. Prior to his position with the
vaccine preventable diseases division, he was an Intelligence
Surveillance Officer of Vaccine Preventable Diseases in Rwanda
Ministry of Health, where he implemented an acute flaccid
paralysis surveillance system, measles surveillance system, MN
tetanus surveillance, pediatric bacterial meningitis surveillance,
congenital rubella syndrome surveillance. He has extensive
experience in leadership, research, program implementation,
and monitoring and evaluation, having worked in immunization
programs for 11 years. He has earned one Degree in Population
Studies and another one in Public Health. He also received a
Certificate in Vaccinology from the Regional Institute of Public
Health in Ouidah, Benin. He has recently performed advanced
course of vaccinology at Geneva University. He has a Masters’
in field Epidemiology and Laboratory from National University
of Rwanda. He is currently a PhD candidate. He has published
more than 8 papers in reputed journals and has been serving as
an Editorial Member.
Successive introduction of four new
vaccines in Rwanda: high coverage and
rapid scale up of Rwanda's expanded
immunization program from 2009 to 2013
Maurice Gatera1 , Sunil Bhatt2, Fidele Ngabo3 ,
Mathilde Utamuliza 1, Hassan Sibomana1, Corine Karema1, Cathy
Mugeni3, Cameron T Nutt4, Sabin Nsanzimana1, Claire M Wagner5
and Agnes Binagwaho2,3,6
1Rwanda Biomedical Center, Rwanda, 2Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, USA, 3Ministry of
Health, Rwanda, 4Partners in health, USA, 5Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, USA, 6Harvard University, USA
Maurice Gatera et al., Journal of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Volume: 4
DOI: 10.21767/2471-304X-C2-004
As the pace of vaccine uptake accelerates globally, also access to vaccines
in many of the poorest countries has risen dramatically in recent years with
improvements in health care delivery systems, the advantage of new funding,
monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, and increased global connectivity
partnerships with multilateral organizations including the World Health
Organization (WHO), GAVI Alliance and UNICEF to launch and bolster nationally-
owned and managed immunization programs significantly accelerated progress
towards meeting the international targets for child survival. There is a need to
document low-income country experiences with vaccine introductions. Over
the course of five years, the government of Rwanda rolled out vaccines against
pneumococcal, human papillomavirus, rotavirus, and measles and rubella,
achieving over 90% coverage for each. To carry out these rollouts, Rwanda's
Ministry of Health engaged in careful review of disease burden information and
extensive, cross-sectorial planning at least one year before introducing each
vaccine. Rwanda's local leaders, development partners, civil society organizations
and widespread community health worker network were mobilized to support
communication efforts. Community health workers were also used to confirm
target population size. Support from GAVI/Alliance, UNICEF and WHO was
used in combination with government funds to promote country ownership and
collaboration. Vaccination was also combined with additional community-based
health interventions which make uptake at higher immunization coverage for
each. Other countries considering rapid consecutive or simultaneous rollouts of
new vaccines may consider lessons from Rwanda's experience while tailoring the
strategies used to local context.
Euro Vaccines 2018