Dar Es Salaam, 29 February 2008 -- The Eastern and Southern African Annual Expanded Programs on Immunization (EPI) Managers Meeting which took place in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania from 27th – 29th February 2008 has ended with the adoption of 16 resolutions aimed at child survival.

In his closing remarks on 29th February, Dr. Mohammed Belhocine, WHO Representative to Tanzania called on the EPI managers to implement the 16 recommendations adopted by the three day meeting. The recommendations focused on integrated child survival in general and EPI in particular.

“Vaccination has greatly reduced the death of children in Africa”, he quoted the latest WHO bulletin, as he commended the participants for contributing to reducing deaths due to measles on the continent by 91percent by 2006. He also applauded them for working hard to ensure that the sub region did not report new cases of polio in 2007. 

However, Dr Belhocine called on the participants to remain vigilant against polio as the region was surrounded by countries with on going wild polio virus circulation. He reiterated that routine immunization was the cornerstone of immunization and countries should ensure that they improve their immunization coverage at all levels.

The meeting brought together more than 115 participants including National EPI Managers from 18 countries of the Eastern and Southern part of the African Region, WHO, UNICEF and GAVI.

The overall objective of the meetings was to provide a forum for technical orientation and exchange of experiences between countries in the southern block and partners.  

The recommendations focused on several key topics related to areas like routine immunization, measles, neonatal tetanus, polio surveillance, integrated disease surveillance, data quality, reaching every district, partnerships and resource mobilization.

The official opening which took place on 27th February 2008, was presided over by Tanzania’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Deo Mutasiwa, WHO Representative to Tanzania, Dr Mohammed Belhocine and UNICEF country representative Dr Abdoulie Tinorga.