Cost-effectiveness and benefit-risk of rotavirus vaccination in Afghanistan: a modelling analysis informed by post-licensure surveillance.

Introduction: Afghanistan added ROTARIX to the routine national immunization programme in 2018. We aimed to estimate the cost-effectiveness and benefit-risk of ROTARIX and compare its continued use with other rotavirus vaccines that could be used in the future.

Methods: We used a static cohort model with a finely disaggregated age structure (weeks of age < 5 years) to assess the use of ROTARIX (1-dose vial) over a seven-year period (2018-2024) in Afghanistan.

Region-wide assessment of National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups (NITAGs) using the NITAG Maturity Assessment Tool (NMAT) - Experience from the Eastern Mediterranean Region of the World Health Organization, 2023.

National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups (NITAGs) are independent bodies that help improve national immunization programmes in decision making on immunization policy. The new NITAG Maturity Assessment Tool (NMAT) provided an opportunity to conduct a region-wide assessment to improve NITAG capacity and foster institutional growth. We share experience of the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) of the World Health Organization (WHO) in using NMAT and the use of findings to develop improvement plans.

Rotavirus is the leading cause of hospitalizations for severe acute gastroenteritis among Afghan children <5 years old.

Background: Rotavirus gastroenteritis is estimated to cause approximately five thousand deaths annually among Afghan children under 5 years old. Because laboratory confirmation of rotavirus is not routinely performed in clinical settings, assessing the precise burden of disease attributable to severe rotavirus gastroenteritis typically requires active surveillance efforts. This study describes the current burden of pediatric hospitalizations attributable to rotavirus gastroenteritis among Afghan children using surveillance data collected from 2013 to 2015.

Potential impact and cost-effectiveness of rotavirus vaccination in Afghanistan.

Introduction: Despite progress made in child survival in the past 20 years, 5.9 million children under five years died in 2015, with 9% of these deaths due to diarrhea. Rotavirus is responsible for more than a third of diarrhea deaths.

Understanding threats to polio vaccine commitment among caregivers in high-priority areas of Afghanistan: a polling study.

Background: Eradication of poliovirus from endemic countries relies on vaccination of children with oral polio vaccine (OPV) many times a year until the age of 5 years. We aimed to determine caregivers' commitment to OPV in districts of Afghanistan at high risk for polio transmission and to examine what knowledge, attitudes, or experiences could threaten commitment.

Methods: We designed and analysed a poll using face-to-face interviews among caregivers of children under 5 years of age.

Improving immunization in Afghanistan: results from a cross-sectional community-based survey to assess routine immunization coverage.

Background: Despite progress in recent years, Afghanistan is lagging behind in realizing the full potential of immunization. The country is still endemic for polio transmission and measles outbreaks continue to occur. In spite of significant reductions over the past decade, the mortality rate of children under 5 years of age continues to remain high at 91 per 1000 live births.