National Deployment and Vaccination Plans (NDVP) are crucial for effective pandemic preparedness and response. In 2023 and 2024 five countries in the Americas conducted multisectoral table-top simulation exercises to review and update their NDVPs, incorporating lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic to improve their operational plans.
The COVID-19 and 2009 influenza A (H1N1) pandemics have highlighted both achievements and gaps in pandemic preparedness activities, especially in vaccine deployment and public acceptance of vaccination efforts. Through activities supported by the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework Partnership Contribution (PC), and in line with the Preparedness and Resilience for Emerging Threats (PRET) initiative, the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) organized five national workshops aimed at revising and updating the NDVPs for pandemic influenza and other respiratory viruses with pandemic potential. In 2023 and 2024, these workshops were held in the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala and Suriname.
The workshops brought together a diverse group of professionals including from National Regulatory Agencies, immunization programmes, and logistics and vaccination operation specialists – who shared experiences and identified areas and capacities to be strengthened for a future pandemic. They served as clear examples of multisectoral cooperation for pandemic preparedness and response.
"It is important to get ahead of a potential pandemic, and we are very happy to be involved, because one country cannot do it alone, we can make sure that the other viruses do not reach the level of COVID-19 and we can be very swift in protecting our citizens through vaccination," said the Director of the Ministry of Health Dr Rakesh Gajadhar Sukul in Suriname.
PIP Deploy
The table-top exercise "PIP Deploy", developed by WHO, was instrumental in helping participants review and understand the critical elements needed for an effective NDVP. In this exercise, participants were organized into four groups and tasked with completing assignments across five missions. These missions covered the full spectrum of a vaccine deployment operation from setting public health goals, identifying target populations, planning for legal and regulatory requirements, addressing vaccine acceptance and demand and community engagement, human resources and logistics, and post-deployment surveillance systems.
Then, participants engaged in a question and answers game which introduced further inquiries and complimented the simulation exercise approach .
"The workshop used a methodology that encouraged active participation from all groups and provided a reflective space for integrating various actors and sectors into a national plan. It was a dynamic and interactive experience where we learned effectively," commented Dr Elvis Delgado, coordinator of the Expanded Program of Immunizations at the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS).
Regional Approaches
Experts from the PAHO/WHO Regional Office and WHO Headquarters facilitated the sessions which enhanced emergency capacities in the countries, including pandemic preparedness, regulatory issues, communications, immunizations, and pharmacovigilance. The workshops highlighted the impact of a coordinated regional approach to strengthening vaccine deployment capacities in the Americas. This approach resulted in tailored roadmaps for each country to review and update their NDVP. PAHO, in collaboration with WHO and the PIP Secretariat, will continue providing support to countries in the Americas to strengthen national vaccine deployment capacities as part of pandemic preparedness.
