PAHO - Pan American Health Organization

Published purpose

The project aims to reduce infant mortality through the expansion of routine immunization to all departments of the country. The project has three components: a trilateral vaccination initiative for Haiti, managed by UNICEF in collaboration with the Brazilian government; institutional strengthening by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO); and strategic reinforcement by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC). This component of the project, implemented by the PAHO and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), focuses on institutional capacity building within the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MPHP) and its departmental divisions. The key areas of intervention include training of qualified personnel, cold chain maintenance and vaccine management, as well as mobilization strategies for groups targeted by vaccination campaigns. Child mortality is largely related to common infectious diseases which vaccine protection can prevent to a considerable extent. The project helps to contain the spread of epidemics and to preserve Canadian achievements in controlling infectious diseases such as measles and polio. The expected results for this project are: - The MPHP is better fulfilling its formulation, coordination, implementation and monitoring roles, and enhances providers’ structures capacity to offer quality immunization to people; - Management of the Expanded Programme on Immunization is based on use of safe health data and the application of established standards / administrative guidelines; - The MPHP is implementing strategies to enhance the efficiency of the Expanded Programme on Immunization in the field.