Project profile — Improving Polio Immunization for Children and Vulnerable Populations

• Ukraine (100.00%)

• Basic Health: Infectious disease control (12250) (100.00%)

• Gender equality (not targeted)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (not targeted)
• Participatory development and good governance (not targeted)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Children's issues (significant objective)
• Youth Issues (significant objective)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)

This project aims to improve polio immunization coverage, particularly among children and vulnerable populations who are at high-risk of contracting the disease, to mitigate the risk and potential impact of a polio outbreak. Ukraine is at high risk for a polio outbreak because current rates of vaccination are low (less than 50% of children are fully immunized against polio) and the likelihood of exposure to sources of wild or vaccine-derived polio viruses is high. The project seeks to immunize the most vulnerable populations, including approximately 1.5 million children, with a focus on infants who have never been vaccinated, or who are living in conflict-affected areas or communities of internally displaced people. Project activities include: (1) providing 1.8 million doses of Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) and associated immunization supplies, as well as 3.1 million doses of Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV); (2) vaccinating an estimated 450,000 infants under the age of one year with two doses of IPV - to the extent possible, followed in the next year with up to two more booster doses of OPV; and (3) vaccinating an older group of children who are only partially immunized against polio with additional doses of OPV.

The expected intermediate outcome for this project is improved mitigation of the high risk of a polio outbreak in Ukraine.

Results achieved as of December 2015 include: With funding from the Government of Canada, UNICEF procured and delivered 4,900,000 doses of polio vaccine to Ukraine: 1,800,000 doses of standalone Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) and associated immunization supplies and 3,100,000 doses of trivalent oral polio vaccine (tOPV). While the project had initially set out to improve routine immunization coverage, it ultimately was ideally positioned to respond to a polio outbreak in Ukraine that occurred in the summer of 2015. With these Canadian-funded doses immediately available for use, it was possible for the Government of Ukraine to quickly launch an emergency polio immunization campaign for children between the ages of 0-6 years. 2,227,309 children were vaccinated with the Canadian-funded vaccines in the first and second rounds of this campaign, and thereafter, far exceeding the project target of 1,500,000 children. Additionally, UNICEF was able to realize savings with the procurement of the vaccines, and with the surplus of Canadian funding was able to purchase specific cold chain equipment which had been requested by the Government of Ukraine to support the roll out of the renewed nation-wide immunization program. The requested and procured equipment included walk-in cold stores, over 600 freezers and refrigerators, as well as generators and other equipment necessary to ensure integrity of the cold-chain from manufacturer to patient.

• Proactive disclosure