A Devex event in partnership with Sabin Vaccine Institute in New York City

Reversing alarming declines in immunization

Building sustainable vaccine demand with and for communities


September 21 | 11:30 a.m. ET | 5:30 p.m. CET

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About the In Person Event


Join us for an in person event in New York City on the sidelines of UNGA 77 where Devex in partnership with Sabin Vaccine Institute will unpack the complexities around vaccine acceptance and demand.

Twenty five million children did not receive life saving vaccines in 2021. This declining trend of vaccinations, seen in every region of the world, is hitting low- and middle-income countries — where communities in vulnerable settings are most at risk of preventable but devastating diseases — the hardest. It’s clear that swift action is needed to reverse the steep fall in routine childhood immunization rates to avert another global health crisis.

COVID-19 has revealed and exacerbated underlying vaccine inequities across the world. Yet the most recent pandemic has also emphasized the power of immunization as the world embarked on the largest vaccine rollout in history.

So why then are routine immunization rates facing the largest sustained decline in 30 years? Register to be a part of the discussion.

In this event covering COVID-19 vaccinations and routine childhood immunizations, we will explore:
• What the barriers are to restoring and sustaining high acceptance and demand for both COVID-19 vaccines and routine immunizations in LMICs.
• How misinformation and limited health services are particularly holding back progress for equitable vaccine access and demand.
• Which pioneering practices from LMICs we can build on to drive high vaccination rates through community engagement.

Join us in person in New York City to be a part of how communities and professionals can be supported to increase vaccine coverage across the world.

Watch the event

Hosted by:

Devex

Produced in partnership with:

Sabin Vaccine Institute

Schedule


​​11:35 a.m. ET

High-level interview: What’s at stake, and the price of inaction

Speakers: Dr. Ayoade Alakija, special envoy and co-chair to the WHO’s ACT Accelerator and co-chair of the African Union’s African Vaccine Delivery Alliance

Interviewed by: Raj Kumar, President & Editor-in-Chief, Devex

​​11:45 a.m. ET

Panel: Lessons learned from communities — barriers to equitable vaccine access and demand

Speakers:
• Esther Nakkazi, science journalist, media trainer, and founder of Health Journalists Network
• Rashid Mang'anda, nursing officer and maternal child health program coordinator, Phalombe District Health Office
• Dr. Furaha Kyesi, head of service delivery and introduction of new vaccine section, immunization program, Tanzania's Ministry of Health

Interviewed by: Raj Kumar, President & Editor-in-Chief, Devex

​​12:05 p.m. ET

Fireside chat: Understanding the complexities of vaccine demand in LMICs – challenging misinformation

Speakers:
• Dr. Anant Bhan, mentor and principal investigator at Sangath
• Stacey Knobler, vice president for vaccine innovation & global immunization, Sabin Vaccine Institute

Interviewed by: Raj Kumar, President & Editor-in-Chief, Devex

12:20 p.m. ET

Panel: How to build and sustain vaccine demand with and for communities

Speakers:
• Dr. Atul Gawande, assistant administrator of global health, USAID
• Dr. Aamer Ikram, executive director, Pakistan National Institutes of Health
• Dr. Kate O'Brien, Department of immunization, vaccines, and biologicals director, WHO

Interviewed by: Catherine Cheney, Senior Reporter, Devex

12:40 p.m. ET

Q&A

Hosted by: Raj Kumar, President & Editor-in-Chief, Devex

Closing remarks

William Asiko, vice president, Africa Regional Office of The Rockefeller Foundation

Speakers


Dr. Ayoade Alakija

Dr. Ayoade Alakija

Special envoy and co-chair to ACT-Accelerator and co-chair of the African Union’s African Vaccine Delivery Alliance

William Asiko

William Asiko

Vice president, Africa Regional Office of The Rockefeller Foundation

Dr. Anant Bhan

Dr. Anant Bhan

Mentor and principal investigator at Sangath

Dr. Atul Gawande

Dr. Atul Gawande

Assistant administrator of global health, USAID

Dr. Aamer Ikram

Dr. Aamer Ikram

Executive director, Pakistan National Institutes of Health

Stacey Knobler

Stacey Knobler

Vice president for vaccine innovation & global immunization, Sabin Vaccine Institute

Dr. Furaha Kyesi

Dr. Furaha Kyesi

Head of service delivery and introduction of new vaccine section, immunization program, Tanzania's Ministry of Health

Rashid Mang'anda

Rashid Mang'anda

Nursing officer and maternal child health program coordinator, Phalombe District Health Office

Esther Nakkazi

Esther Nakkazi

Science journalist, media trainer, and founder, Health Journalists Network

Dr. Kate O'Brien

Dr. Kate O'Brien

Department of immunization, vaccines, and biologicals director, WHO

Moderators


Catherine Cheney

Senior reporter, Devex

Raj Kumar

Raj Kumar

President & editor-in-chief, Devex