Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals

Our Mission

The Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals department is responsible for targeting vaccine-preventable diseases, vaccines, immunization policy and research. We work towards better integration of immunization and other health services and relationship-building outside the health sector. We build productive and organized partnerships with civil society organizations (CSOs) and private sector who have the potential to play a wider range of roles.

Our Mission

To advance the impact of vaccines and immunizations worldwide through global leadership, generation and dissemination of research, evidenced based policies and guidance, and provision of specialized technical assistance for the health and well-being of all people, in all countries

IVB’s focus and contributions towards the vision 2030 for immunization is captured in the specific mission statement. It presents the purpose and focus of the work in IVB/HQ through 2025.

An immunization strategy shaped by the 13th General Programme of Work (GPW13)

WHO’s vision, mission and contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 3 is articulated in its 13^th General Programme of Work (2019-2023). GPW13 sets a strategic direction for the Organization with a central focus to drive impact in countries, to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being at all ages, and an ambitious 3-billion target.

Vaccines and immunization invariably play a critical role in achieving GPW13’s aim to deliver on its 3-billion goals, UHC and SDG3. Reduction of vaccine preventable diseases are key to achievement of all 3-billion goals.

IVB_strategy_GPW13

The IVB strategy is shaped by the GPW13 mandate, including:

An increased emphasis on equity and vulnerable populations, and a stronger focus on immunization across the life course to promote well-being for all at all ages
A greater focus on public health impact, including the goals related to immunization and their contribution to Primary Health Care (PHC) and Universal Health Coverage (UHC)
The step up of IVB leadership to identify and deliver on global public health goods which respond to country needs and impact

Strategic Priorities

The IVB strategy is organized around four interconnected strategic priorities (SPs) along a vaccine and immunization value chain that connects functional areas of work to create global public health value for immunization, based on IVB’s global roles, responsibilities, and comparative strengths.

IVB_strategy_value_chain

^{IVB Strategy Priorities along a vaccine and immunization value chain}

IVB Structure

Headquarter functions are:

Technical & Strategy Leadership: convene for global health governance; set and regulate global norms and standards; and mobilize and coordinate WHO and partner resources and activities to drive impact in countries;
Global Public Health Goods: generate and assimilate evidence to identify best practices and create evidence-based tools, norms, standards, guidance;
Specialized Assistance / Surge: provide differentiated technical expertise, capacity building, and services adapted to country needs

The IVB team is designed in a cross-functional matrix structure to facilitate agile ways of working, improve decision-making, clarify roles and responsibilities, and maximize impact. The matrix structure combines five functional units and six high impact areas, the latter designed to be adapted over the strategic period as shifts in priorities are identified.

The five functional units reflect the key functions and roles of IVB. Each one is led by a Unit Head and is composed of up to five technical teams focusing on the strategic objectives. A Team Lead provides technical oversight for each of the primary focus areas of the unit.

The six high impact areas identify specific priority topics which are of particularly high priority for the strategy and whose success is highly dependent on cross functional teams drawing from all or most of the functional units. Each high impact area is led by an Impact Lead responsible to drive tangible impact for the priority impact area.

The overarching theme of the IVB high impact areas is to place immunization coverage and equity, including the breadth of vaccination, at the core for everyone’s work in the Department. Focusing on coverage and equity in IVB means:

A differential focus on high burden communities, geographical areas with the lowest coverage and breadth of vaccination or greatest number of un-immunized, including in middle-income countries

An emphasis in the near-term on key pathogens and syndromes that are markers for the overall strengthen of country immunization programmes or where accelerating their introduction and coverage and can yield significant health impact and equity: measles, meningitis, polio and HPV

IVB_strategy_matrix

Functional Units

The Agenda, Policy & Strategy Unit leads vaccine and immunization policy and strategy development, as well as work on market shaping, global availability and access to vaccines. The unit coordinates IVB’s contributions to IA2030, the Defeating Meningitis 2030 strategy and the IVB partnership on the R&D blueprint (global strategy and preparedness plan that allows the rapid activation of R&D activities during epidemics).

The Immunization Analysis & Insights Unit is the data hub and analytical engine of IVB. As well as being the ‘owner’ of global immunization data and performing analytics to support the work of other IVB units, this unit drives innovation in data quality and use in countries. It also has responsibility for IVB’s global work on VPD surveillance and generating data and evidence on the public health and economic impact of vaccines. It is also responsible for monitoring and reporting on all indicators that IVB has responsibility for within WHO and across the immunization Alliance.

The Product & Delivery Research Unit leads research on the development of new vaccines, new technologies (including products and services) and innovations in immunization practices that can enhance equitable access to vaccinations, particularly the underserved populations and high-burden communities. The unit also drives IVB’s work on implementation research and projects for new and existing vaccines, technologies and innovations for the future (e.g. Malaria Vaccine Implementation Project).

The Essential Programme on Immunization Unit is the programme impact arm of IVB with the primary aim to improve coverage and equity. It focuses on all the key areas of immunization including strengthening delivery, integrating immunization into PHC along the lifecourse, sustaining trust and demand for vaccinations, strengthening supply chain and logistics systems and reducing the risk of and recovery from vaccine preventable disease outbreaks.

The Vaccine Alliances and Partnerships Unit manages priority partnerships including collaborations with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, US CDC, BMGF and other key WHO partners. Internally the unit ensures cross-programme coordination and collaboration both vertically (across the 3 levels of the Organization) and horizontally with other WHO Departments, particularly those working on Primary Health Care in order to identify opportunities for coordinated development of services in pursuit of universal health coverage.