The Task Force For Global Health Inc

THE MISSION OF THE TASK FORCE FOR GLOBAL HEALTH IS TO SOLVE LARGE-SCALE HEALTH PROBLEMS AFFECTING POPULATIONS THROUGH THREE IMPACT AREAS: HEALTH SYSTEM STRENGTHENING, CENTER FOR VACCINE EQUITY, AND NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES. THESE IMPACT AREAS INCLUDE PROGRAMS SUCH AS PANDEMIC PREPAREDNESS, POLIO ERADICATION, FIELD EPIDEMIOLOGY TRAINING, PUBLIC HEALTH INFORMATICS, HEALTH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND MEDICAL SURPLUS RECOVERY.

TEPHINET AWARDED MORE THAN $380,000 IN EMERGENCY CAPACITY BUILDING GRANTS TO 19 FETPS TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES TO STRENGTHEN THEIR COVID-19 RESPONSE CAPACITIES. WE ALSO PROVIDED SUPPORT TO FETPS TO ASSIST WITH TRAINING, SURVEILLANCE AND EPIDEMIOLOGIC INVESTIGATIONS IN CENTRAL AMERICA, COLOMBIA, ECUADOR, HAITI, PAKISTAN, UKRAINE, VIETNAM, AND YEMEN. FROM AUGUST 2020 TO AUGUST 2021, THE PROGRAM HELPED TRAIN MORE THAN 140 EPIDEMIOLOGISTS FROM 40 COUNTRIES IN PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY RESPONSE IN COLLABORATION WITH CDC AND GOARN. IN ADDITION, IT BEGAN DEVELOPING EMERGENCY RESPONSE TRAINING FOR FETP ALUMNI IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CDC, PAHO, THE COLOMBIAN RED CROSS, AND THE HARVARD HUMANITARIAN INITIATIVE. FOUR DIFFERENT TYPES OF SMALL GRANTS WERE OFFERED TO INDIVIDUAL FETP TRAINEES AND GRADUATES TO ENABLE FIELD PROJECTS CONTRIBUTING TO INFECTIOUS AND NON-INFECTIOUS DISEASE PREVENTION AND CONTROL. THE PROGRAM LAUNCHED ITS 6TH CYCLE OF FETP ACCREDITATION WITH A NEW OPTION FOR PROGRAMS TO BE ACCREDITED AT A HIGHER STANDARD THAN PREVIOUSLY POSSIBLE AND IN ADDITION, IT CONDUCTED 3 WORKSHOPS AT REGIONAL FETP CONFERENCES. TEPHINET CO-HOSTED 3 VIRTUAL EVENTS CONNECTING MORE THAN 1,400 PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS WORLDWIDE. FEATURING MORE THAN 150+ ORAL AND POSTER PRESENTATIONS AND 30+ INTERACTIVE LEARNING AND KEYNOTE SESSIONS, THE 11TH TEPHINET REGIONAL SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE OF THE AMERICAS, 10TH SOUTHEAST ASIA AND WESTERN PACIFIC BI-REGIONAL TEPHINET SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE, AND FETP INTERNATIONAL NIGHTS PROVIDED DOZENS OF FETP TRAINEES AND ALUMNI WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO SHARE THEIR WORK WITH WIDER AUDIENCES, AND BUILD KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS IN TOPICS RANGING FROM COVID-19 RESPONSE TO SCIENTIFIC WRITING, MENTAL HEALTH, AND PROGRAM EVALUATION. IN MARCH, THE PROGRAM LAUNCHED THE FIELD EPIDEMIOLOGY ABSTRACT DATABASE (FEAD), MAKING MORE THAN 1,100 ABSTRACTS PRESENTED DURING OUR CONFERENCES AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC. IT ALSO LAUNCHED 8 FREE E-LEARNING AND CLASSROOM RESOURCES ON THE TEPHINET LEARNING CENTER. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES, IT DEVELOPED A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES. "FIELD EPIDEMIOLOGY: THE COMPLEX SCIENCE BEHIND BATTLING ACUTE HEALTH THREATS" FEATURING 11 ARTICLES HIGHLIGHTING INVESTIGATIONS CONDUCTED BY FETP TRAINEES AND GRADUATES AROUND THE WORLD. ON SEPTEMBER 7, TEPHINET LED THE GLOBAL CELEBRATION OF THE FIRST WORLD FIELD EPIDEMIOLOGY DAY, REACHING MORE THAN 28 MILLION PEOPLE ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND LEADING TO MORE THAN A DOZEN EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD. MORE THAN 40 ORGANIZATIONS JOINED US AS OFFICIAL PARTNERS. TEPHINET ADVOCATED FOR GLOBAL FIELD EPIDEMIOLOGY CAPACITY BUILDING AND INVESTMENT IN FETPS THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN MEETINGS LED BY THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, UNITED NATIONS, EUROPEAN UNION, PANDEMIC ACTION NETWORK, AND GLOBAL HEALTH COUNCIL. IT ALSO TESTIFIED ON THIS TOPIC BEFORE THE U.S. CONGRESS. TEPHINET OFFICIALLY ASSUMED ITS ROLE AS THE SECRETARIAT TO THE FETP ENTERPRISE STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP GROUP (SLG), WHICH WAS FORMED TO PROVIDE HIGH-LEVEL LEADERSHIP AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE GLOBAL FIELD EPIDEMIOLOGY ROADMAP. THE SLG AND ITS ASSOCIATED WORKING GROUPS HAVE BEEN MEETING THROUGHOUT 2021 TO DEVELOP IMPLEMENTATION PLANS FOR THE ROADMAP'S RECOMMENDATIONS. THROUGH COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS WITH OUR FUNDING PARTNERS, CDC AND THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, TEPHINET IMPLEMENTED OVER 130 PROJECTS WORLDWIDE AIMED AT STRENGTHENING HEALTH SYSTEMS, IMPROVING DISEASE SURVEILLANCE AND RESPONSE, AND INCREASING PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE CAPACITY IN FIELD EPIDEMIOLOGY. PUBLIC HEALTH INFORMATICS INSTITUTE (PHII) PROVIDED DIRECT SERVICES TO THE U.S. PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM THROUGH A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL (CDC) AND FUNDING FROM THE ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION. THIS FUNDING SUPPORTED PHII AND ITS PARTNERS IN EFFORTS TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF PUBLIC HEALTH INFORMATICIANS AND OTHER PUBLIC HEALTH LEADERS AND PRACTITIONERS TO IMPROVE THE COLLECTION, MANAGEMENT AND USE OF INFORMATION AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FOR PROTECTING AND IMPROVING HEALTH AND REDUCING DISPARITIES. KEY ACTIVITIES INCLUDED PROVIDING WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND ONLINE TOOLS TO STATE AND LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS ON THE SUBJECT OF PRIORITIZING AND INITIATING ONGOING DATA MODERNIZATION EFFORTS; PROVIDING TRAINING TO PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS IN ESSENTIAL INFORMATICS COMPETENCIES; CARRYING OUT A NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF THE HEALTH IT AND INFORMATICS LANDSCAPE SUPPORTING SELF-MEASURED BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORING TO IDENTIFY GAPS AND BARRIERS FOR WIDESPREAD ADOPTION AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SUCCESSFUL NATIONWIDE ADOPTION; AND EQUIPPING PILOT SITES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES TO COMMENCE DATA COLLECTION ON OPIOID USE DISORDER IN PREGNANT WOMEN. ADDITIONALLY, PHII IS AN ONGOING PARTNER ON A COLLABORATIVE GATES FOUNDATION-FUNDED PROJECT THAT IS COLLECTING DATA TO REDUCE CHILDHOOD MORTALITY ACROSS THE GLOBE; THIS PROJECT IS WORKING ON MORTALITY SURVEILLANCE ACTIVITIES AT SITES IN ASIA AND SUB SAHARAN AFRICA. PHII IS ALSO ENGAGED WITH USAID FUNDING FOR ONGOING SUPPORT OF THE CREATION AND LAUNCH OF A NEW, MODERNIZED DATABASE FOR TRACKING NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES; THIS YEAR, THESE EFFORTS INCLUDED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CORE FUNCTIONAL APPLICATIONS AND CONVENING A WORKING FORUM FOR REQUIREMENTS DEVELOPMENT ACROSS KEY PARTNERS. THE EXISTENCE OF THIS DATABASE WILL UNIFY AND STANDARDIZE TRACKING AND DATA ANALYSIS EFFORTS THAT ARE PART OF THE GLOBAL, INTER-ORGANIZATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO ELIMINATE AND ERADICATE NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES. HEALTH CAMPAIGN EFFECTIVENESS(HCE) THE FIRST HCE COALITION MEETING WAS HELD VIRTUALLY ON OCTOBER 20-21, 2020. OVER 180 PEOPLE FROM 26 COUNTRIES REGISTERED AND 118 PARTICIPATED IN THE DISCUSSION GROUPS. MEMBERS SHARED LESSONS LEARNED ON RESTARTING CAMPAIGNS DURING COVID-19, OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION AND INTEGRATING CAMPAIGNS, AND TRANSITIONING FROM CAMPAIGNS TO PHC SERVICE DELIVERY. HCE INITIATED A SERIES OF LEARNING AND KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS AIMED TO ACCELERATE THE IDENTIFICATION OF EMERGING LESSONS AND PROMISING PRACTICES AROUND CAMPAIGN INTEGRATION AND TRANSITIONING CAMPAIGNS INTO PHC. THESE INCLUDE HOSTING FOUR "TEST AND LEARN" WEBINARS, SEVERAL AWARDEE EXCHANGES, MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS, EXPANDING THE RESOURCES ON THE CAMPAIGNEFFECTIVENESS.ORG WEBSITE, AND CREATING A WEB-BASED PLATFORM FOR COLLABORATION AMONG RESEARCH AWARDEES. NEW INFORMATION AND LESSONS LEARNED EMERGED FROM A FIVE-COUNTRY STUDY OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR CAMPAIGN INTEGRATION (BY BRI); A TWO-COUNTRY STUDY ON COMMUNITY FACTORS SHAPING CAMPAIGN EFFECTIVENESS (BY DESIGN INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH (DIH)), A STUDY OF CAMPAIGN OUTCOME MEASURES BEYOND COVERAGE (UNICEF) AND A STUDY OF CAMPAIGN COSTS AND EFFICIENCIES (BY THINKWELL). TWO PROJECT TEAMS FROM NIGERIA SHARED THEIR LESSONS LEARNED ON COLLABORATIVE CAMPAIGN PLANNING FOR MALARIA AND IMMUNIZATIONS IN A HIGHLY ATTENDED WEBINAR. TWO ADDITIONAL TECHNICAL BRIEFS WERE DEVELOPED: ONE ON INTEGRATION OF NEGLECTED INFECTIOUS DISEASES IN THE LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN REGION (AUTHORED IN COLLABORATION WITH PAHO) AND ONE ON CAMPAIGN INTEGRATION--LESSONS LEARNED FROM 30 YEARS OF POLIO (AUTHORED BY STRIPE/JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY). THE SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE (STAC) MET FOUR TIMES, DEVELOPED THE HCE RESEARCH AND LEARNING AGENDA (RLA), PROVIDED INPUT INTO A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) FOR IMPLEMENTATION RESEARCH, ADVISED ON THE SELECTION OF RESEARCH AWARDS, AND CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THE ON-GOING IDENTIFICATION AND PROMOTION OF PROMISING PRACTICES. THE CAMPAIGN INTEGRATION WORKING GROUP (CIWG) ALSO MET FOUR TIMES, CONTRIBUTED TO THE RLA AND SELECTION OF IMPLEMENTATION RESEARCH AWARDS, DEVELOPED AND PROMOTED THE CAMPAIGN INTEGRATION DECISION TOOL AND HAS VOICED THEIR COMMITMENT TO EXPANDING THEIR SCOPE TO DEVELOP NEW TOOLS AND RESOURCES IN 2022. TOGETHER THESE GOVERNANCE GROUPS INCLUDE 51 MEMBERS FROM 33 ORGANIZATIONS AND OVER A DOZEN COUNTRIES. OBLIGATING FUNDS FOR IMPLEMENTATION/OPERATIONAL RESEARCH (I.E. SUB-AWARDS) WAS A HIGH PRIORITY FOR YEAR 2. USING CARRY-OVER FUNDS FROM YEAR ONE, THE BUDGET FROM IMPLEMENTATION RESEARCH WAS INCREASED FROM THE INITIAL ALLOCATION OF $2.2 MILLION TO APPROXIMATELY $2.9 MILLION. MEDSURPLUS ALLIANCE (MSA) PROVIDED OVER $183,000,000 IN LIFE-SAVING MEDICAL SUPPLIES, EQUIPMENT, AND MEDICATIONS TO LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES THROUGH 1,214 QUALIFIED PARTNERS IN 57 COUNTRIES THROUGHOUT THE GLOBE. THESE DONATIONS REPRESENT MORE THAN 4.5 MILLION POUNDS OF EXCESS QUALITY MEDICAL SUPPLIES REPURPOSED TO PROVIDE VITAL CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS IN NEED, A SIGNIFICANT STEP TOWARDS STRENGTHENING HEALTHCARE DELIVERY AND SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES.

NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASE SUPPORT CENTER (NTD SC) FUNDED PRINCIPALLY BY THE BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION, THE U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE UNITED KINGDOM AID (UK AID), THE NTD SC SUPPORTS OPERATIONAL RESEARCH (OR) TO ELIMINATE NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES THAT THREATEN THE LIVES AND WELL-BEING OF MORE THAN ONE BILLION OF PEOPLE IN SOME OF THE WORLD'S POOREST COMMUNITIES. AS OF 2021, THE NTD SC MANAGES A PORTFOLIO OF MORE THAN 250 OR PROJECTS SPANNING 60 COUNTRIES, AND TARGETING ALL FIVE NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES AMENABLE TO PREVENTIVE CHEMOTHERAPY: LYMPHATIC FILARIASIS, ONCHOCERCIASIS, STH, SCHISTOSOMIASIS AND TRACHOMA AS WELL AS OTHER NTDS SUCH AS PODOCONIOSIS, LEPROSY AND LEISHMANIASIS. OR PROJECTS ARE DESIGNED TO ADDRESS CHALLENGES THAT PREVENT PROGRAMS FROM ACHIEVING DISEASE CONTROL AND ELIMINATION GOALS AND TO INFORM WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO) RECOMMENDATIONS AND GUIDANCE FOR NTD PROGRAMS. WITH SUPPORT FROM USAID IN 2021, THE NTD-SC FOR THE FIRST TIME ISSUED CALLS FOR PROPOSALS TO SUPPORT RESEARCH FOCUSED ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS. IN ADDITION, WITH FUNDING FROM USAID AND UK AID, THE NTD SC CONTINUED TO SUPPORT THE AFRICAN RESEARCH NETWORK FOR NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES (ARNTD). ARNTD MANAGES A PORTFOLIO OF RESEARCH PROJECTS CARRIED OUT BY YOUNG AFRICAN SCIENTISTS AT EARLY STAGES OF THEIR CAREERS. THE NTD SC ALSO SERVES AS THE SECRETARIAT FOR THE COALITION FOR OPERATIONAL RESEARCH ON NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES (COR NTD). THE ANNUAL COR-NTD MEETING BRINGS TOGETHER A GROWING GROUP OF RESEARCHERS AND COUNTRY PROGRAM IMPLEMENTERS WORKING TO FOSTER IMPORTANT COLLABORATIONS TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES FACED BY NTD PROGRAMS THAT PREVENT THE SHARED GOAL OF ELIMINATING THESE INFECTIONS. DUE TO THE TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED BY COVID, THE ANNUAL MEETING AND OTHER COR-NTD TECHNICAL MEETINGS HAVE NOW PIVOTED TO VIRTUAL MEETINGS IN ORDER TO CONTINUE COMMUNAL EFFORTS TO TRANSLATE RESEARCH OUTCOMES INTO PROGRAM PRACTICE AND NEW IDEAS INTO FUTURE OR PROJECTS. THE INTERNATIONAL TRACHOMA INITIATIVE (ITI) WORKS TIRELESSLY FOR A WORLD FREE FROM TRACHOMA, EVEN IN THE MIDST OF A GLOBAL PANDEMIC. ITI CONTRIBUTES TO THE ULTIMATE ELIMINATION OF TRACHOMA BY STEWARDING PFIZER'S DONATION OF ZITHROMAX(R) TO TREAT AND PREVENT THE CONDITION; BUILDING AND STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS TO ACCELERATE PROGRESS; AND DEVELOPING INNOVATIVE TOOLS TO SHARE DATA. BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 2020 TO AUGUST 2021, ITI ORGANIZED JUST IN TIME SHIPMENTS OF 47.4 MILLION TREATMENTS FOR TRACHOMA TO BE DISTRIBUTED AT MDAS IN 14 COUNTRIES. AS OF AUGUST 2021, ITI SHIPPED MORE THAN 953.2 MILLION TREATMENTS TO TRACHOMA ENDEMIC COUNTRIES SINCE 1999. ITI CONTINUED ITS DATA MANAGEMENT SUPPORT FOR TROPICAL DATA, A FREE MOBILE PHONE-BASED SERVICE TO SUPPORT TRACHOMA PROGRAMS AS THEY CONDUCT PREVALENCE SURVEYS, PROVIDING THEM WITH ROBUST DATA FOR DECISION MAKING ON WHERE ANTIBIOTIC TREATMENTS ARE NEEDED AND WHERE THEY CAN BE STOPPED. AS A KEY PLAYER IN THE GLOBAL TRACHOMA COMMUNITY, THERE HAVE BEEN TREMENDOUS ACHIEVEMENTS IN REDUCING THE POPULATION AT RISK OF BLINDNESS FROM TRACHOMA FROM AN ESTIMATED 1.2 BILLION PEOPLE IN 2000 TO 136.2 MILLION IN JUNE 2021 ACCORDING TO THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION'S (WHO) WEEKLY EPIDEMIOLOGICAL RECORD (WER). ITI WILL CONTINUE TO WORK SMARTER SO THAT THE DREAM OF A TRACHOMA FREE WORLD BECOMES A REALITY. THE MECTIZAN DONATION PROGRAM: ALTHOUGH MASS TREATMENT WITH MECTIZAN WAS INTERRUPTED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC IN 2020 FROM APRIL TO SEPTEMBER, BY 2021 INTERVENTIONS HAD RESUMED WITH COVID19 MITIGATION MEASURES IN PLACE. IN 2021, A TOTAL OF 364.4 MILLION TREATMENTS WERE APPROVED-A DECREASE FROM 2020 WHEN 416.8 MILLION TREATMENTS WERE APPROVED. THIS WAS DUE TO SEVERAL FACTORS, MOST OF WHICH ARE RELATED TO THE CANCELLATION OF TEN APPLICATIONS DUE TO THE SURPLUS INVENTORY OF MECTIZAN(R) THAT REMAINED AS A RESULT OF THE LOCKDOWN AND THE INTERRUPTIONS AND DELAYS TO MDA IN 2020. ANOTHER FACTOR WAS THE TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF MDA IN TWO COUNTRIES WHERE HIGH CUSTOMS CLEARANCE FEES PREVENTED SHIPMENTS OF DONATED MECTIZAN FROM REACHING THE NATIONAL PROGRAMS. WE INVITE GOVERNMENTS OF COUNTRIES WHERE HIGH CLEARANCE FEES ARE ASSESSED ON DONATED MEDICINES TO TAKE SPECIAL MEASURES TO ELIMINATE THESE IMPORT CHARGES TO AVOID LACK OF ACCESS TO VITAL, FREE MEDICINES. AN UNEXPECTED CHALLENGE AROSE AS MISINFORMATION SPREAD ABOUT THE USE OF IVERMECTIN AS AN ALLEGED CURE FOR COVID19 PATIENTS. THIS RAISED THE RISK OF DIVERSION OF THE DONATED MECTIZAN TO UNAUTHORIZED USES. IN A HEARTENING DISPLAY OF RESILIENCE, COUNTRY PARTNERS AND SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS, THE MECTIZAN DONATION PROGRAM, THE MECTIZAN EXPERT COMMITTEE, AND MERCK & CO., INC. TOOK DILIGENT MEASURES TO PROTECT MECTIZAN FOR ITS INTENDED USE: ELIMINATION OF RIVER BLINDNESS AND LF. WE ARE PARTICULARLY GRATEFUL TO OUR COLLEAGUES FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CONTROL OF NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES OF WHO HEADQUARTERS AND FROM WHO AFRO'S EXPANDED SPECIAL PROGRAM TO ELIMINATE NTDS (ESPEN) FOR HOSTING TWO WEBINARS TO CLARIFY WHO POSITION AND SENSITIZE COUNTRIES ON GOOD USE OF MECTIZAN DONATED FOR THE ELIMINATION OF LF AND RIVER BLINDNESS. AS OF THE END OF 2021, CUMULATIVELY, NEARLY 4.8 BILLION MECTIZAN TREATMENTS HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY THE MECTIZAN DONATION PROGRAM, AND NEARLY 11 BILLION TABLETS HAVE BEEN SHIPPED TO ENDEMIC COUNTRIES BY MERCK SINCE THE DONATION WAS ANNOUNCED IN 1987. THESE NUMBERS ARE STAGGERING. EVEN MORE STAGGERING IS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO NO LONGER NEED TREATMENT WITH MECTIZAN AS TRANSMISSION OF THE DISEASES IS SUSPECTED TO HAVE BEEN INTERRUPTED. FOR RIVER BLINDNESS, THIS NUMBER IS 15.7 MILLION AND FOR LF THE NUMBER IS 191.8 MILLION. IT IS REMARKABLE TO SEE THESE NUMBERS INCREASE EACH YEAR AS COUNTRIES DOWNSCALE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE TREATED. FIVE NEW COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES (COMOROS, NEPAL, MYANMAR, FRENCH POLYNESIA AND NEW CALEDONIA) WERE APPROVED TO RECEIVE MECTIZAN FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF IDA TO ACCELERATE ELIMINATION OF LF, BRINGING THE NUMBER OF IDA IMPLEMENTING COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES TO 20. THE GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR ZERO LEPROSY (GPZL) HAD MANY ACTIVITIES DURING THE YEAR. COVID19 RESPONSE. GPZL HAS WORKED TO SUPPORT THE LEPROSY COMMUNITY DURING THE COVID19 PANDEMIC, FORMING WORKING GROUPS TO ADDRESS UNIQUE CHALLENGES FACED BY THE COMMUNITY. WORKING GROUP 1 SOLVED PANDEMIC RELATED SUPPLY CHAIN PROBLEMS TO ENSURE THAT LEPROSY PATIENTS RECEIVE THE MULTI DRUG THERAPY MEDICATION THEY NEED. WORKING GROUP 2 CONSULTED WITH PERSONS AFFECTED BY LEPROSY TO GATHER AND SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT THE NEEDS OF PERSONS AFFECTED DURING THE PANDEMIC. THEY THEN OFFERED ADVICE FOR GOVERNMENT AND NGO RESPONSE TO THESE NEEDS. REPORTS FROM WORKING GROUPS 1 AND 2 ABOUT THEIR WORK WERE PUBLISHED IN LEPROSY REVIEW IN DECEMBER 2020, AND A VIDEO CREATED BY WORKING GROUP 2 ABOUT THE CHALLENGES FACED BY PERSONS AFFECTED DURING THE PANDEMIC, FEATURING THE VOICES OF WOMEN AFFECTED, WAS RELEASED LATE NOVEMBER 2020. COUNTRY WORK. GPZL ANNOUNCED 10 NEW COUNTRY PARTNERS (AS WELL AS CONTINUED WORK WITH NEPAL) IN 2020 AND BEGAN COUNTRY MODEL IMPLEMENTATION IN GHANA IN NOVEMBER, 2020. GPZL COHOSTED A WEBINAR SERIES ON SDR PEP (LEPROSY POST EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS WITH SINGLE DOSE RIFAMPICIN, A NEW PREVENTATIVE MEDICATION FOR LEPROSY) IMPLEMENTATION WITH WHO'S GLOBAL LEPROSY PROGRAM IN DECEMBER 2020, HELPING TO EQUIP NATIONAL LEPROSY PROGRAM MANAGERS TO IMPLEMENT THIS NEW INNOVATION IN THE FIELD OF LEPROSY. IN 2021, ZERO LEPROSY COUNTRY MODEL IMPLEMENTATION CONTINUED TO GAIN MOMENTUM. ACTIVITIES BEGAN IN COTE D'IVOIRE IN Q2 2021 WITH THE BEGINNING OF THEIR COUNTRY REVIEW. THIS WORK CULMINATED IN A STAKEHOLDERS MEETING AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A ZERO LEPROSY ROADMAP. FROM Q1 AND Q3 2021 GPZL ENGAGED TWO CONSULTANTS TO ASSIST WITH VALIDATION AND FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE ZERO LEPROSY COUNTRY MODEL, AND TO BUILD OUT AN M&E FRAMEWORK FOR THE MODEL. RESEARCH. GPZL'S RESEARCH AGENDA WAS PUBLISHED IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES OF POVERTY IN 2020. THE AGENDA IDENTIFIES THE THEMES NECESSARY FOR RESEARCHERS/DONORS TO PURSUE IN ORDER TO REACH ZERO LEPROSY. GPZL MOVED FORWARD WITH THE PRIORITIZATION OF THESE RESEARCH TOPICS AND DEVELOPED A LANDSCAPE OF ONGOING RESEARCH IN 2021. GPZL ALSO CONVENED A DIAGNOSTICS WORKING GROUP TO CREATE TARGET PRODUCT PROFILES (TPP) FOR A LEPROSY DIAGNOSTIC IN 2020. THEIR WORK CONTINUED THROUGH 2021 WITH THE COMPLETION OF TWO TARGET PRODUCT PROFILES FOR LEPROSY DIAGNOSTICS IN QUARTERS 2 AND 3. INCREASING FUNDING FOR LEPROSY. IN Q2 OF 2021, GPZL SUBMITTED A PROPOSAL FOR A SWIFT GRANT, A NEW OPPORTUNITY SUPPORTED BY THE MACARTHUR FOUNDATION THROUGH THEIR BOLD SOLUTIONS NETWORK. WE RECEIVED THIS AWARD IN Q3 AND WILL USE THE FUNDS TO CREATE AN ADVOCACY AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CURRICULUM FOR PATIENT ADVOCATES FROM STIGMATIZING NTDS. THIS PROPOSAL WAS SUBMITTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TWO OTHER TFGH PROGRAMS: NTD-SC (ALSO A BOLD SOLUTIONS NETWORK MEMBER) AND FACE.

THE COVID-19 VACCINE IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM (COVIP) HAD A NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES DURING THE YEAR. BASED ON THE PIVI MODEL, COVIP WORKED WITH CDC TO IDENTIFY PARTNER COUNTRIES/IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS FOR THIS PROJECT. IT FUNDED 35 COUNTRIES (ALBANIA, ARMENIA, BARBADOS, BELIZE, BHUTAN, BURKINA FASO, CAMEROON, COTE D'IVOIRE, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, EL SALVADOR, ESWATINI, GEORGIA, GHANA, GUATEMALA, HAITI, HONDURAS, KENYA, LAOS, LESOTHO, MALAWI, MALI, MOLDOVA, MONGOLIA, NAMIBIA, NIGERIA, RWANDA, SIERRA LEONE, SOUTH AFRICA, SOUTH SUDAN, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, TUNISIA, UGANDA, UZBEKISTAN, VIETNAM, ZAMBIA) WHICH TOTALED $4.7M. THE FUNDING ALLOWED EACH PARTNER COUNTRY TO ACCESS TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR VACCINATION PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION TAILORED TO THEIR SPECIFIC NEEDS. COVIP ON-BOARDED A PROJECT MANAGER, A PROGRAM ASSISTANT, DIRECTOR OF IMPLEMENTATION AND SEVEN FIELD EPI CONTRACTORS TO SUPPORT THE FUNDING PROCESS AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN COUNTRIES. THE TEAM CREATED TO IMPLEMENT THIS PROJECT WAS ASSEMBLED QUICKLY AND EFFECTIVELY AND HAS PROVIDED ONGOING SUPPORT TO CDC, COUNTRY MINISTRIES OF HEALTH, GLOBAL PARTNERS AND TFGH LEADERSHIP TO ADVANCE COVID-19 VACCINATION PROGRAM GOALS. THE PROGRAM WORKED CLOSELY WITH CDC COUNTRY OFFICES, MINISTRIES OF HEALTH AND LOCAL NGOS DURING THE IMPLEMENTATION PHASE OF THE VACCINATION PROGRAMS, PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ON VACCINE DELIVERY, SAFETY, DEMAND AND COMMUNICATIONS, PROGRAM PLANNING, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, DATA MANAGEMENT AND USE, PROGRAM EVALUATION AND NITAG/POLICY SUPPORT. THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR, DIRECTOR OF IMPLEMENTATION AND DIRECTOR PROJECTS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PARTNER COUNTRIES VACCINATION PROGRAMS BY REVIEWING AND FUNDING PROPOSALS TO SUPPORT THE COUNTRIES AND ALSO ALIGNING OUR FIELD STAFF TO SUPPORT COVID-19 ACTIVITIES IN COUNTRIES. THE PARTNERSHIP FOR INFLUENZA VACCINE INTRODUCTION (PIVI) CARRIED OUT THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES: 541,040 INFLUENZA VACCINES DONATED AND DELIVERED TO 11 COUNTRIES AT THE COST OF $2,702,240. THE 11 COUNTRIES WERE: VIETNAM, UKRAINE, ALBANIA, ARMENIA, BHUTAN, COTE D'IVOIRE, KYRGYZSTAN, NORTH MACEDONIA, MOLDOVA, MONGOLIA, TAJIKISTAN. SUB-AWARDS PROVIDED TO 11 OTHER COUNTRIES WAS $1,177,238. THOSE COUNTRIES WERE: ALBANIA, ARMENIA, BHUTAN, COTE D'IVOIRE, KENYA, KYRGYZSTAN, MOLDOVA, MONGOLIA, NORTH MACEDONIA, UKRAINE AND EMRO. THE SUB-AWARDS WERE FOR: INCREASING COLD CHAIN FOR FLU, FLU COMMUNICATION ACTIVITIES AND MATERIALS, VACCINE DISTRIBUTION, ANCILLARY BENEFIT PROJECT, CREATING COMMUNICATION MATERIALS FOR FLU AND COVID, ECONOMIC BURDEN STUDIES, KAP SURVEYS, COST-EFFECTIVENESS STUDIES. PIVI COMPLETED INFLUENZA VACCINE ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT IN MOROCCO, KYRGYZ REPUBLIC AND LAO PDR. THE LAO PDR COST-EFFECTIVENESS EVALUATION WAS PUBLISHED IN A PEER-REVIEWED JOURNAL AND WAS PRESENTED TO THE MINISTER OF HEALTH. IT ALSO FUNDED AND COMPLETED A SURVEY OF GLOBAL IMMUNIZATION MANAGERS TO DEFINE CHALLENGES TO INFLUENZA VACCINE PROGRAM SUSTAINABILITY. THESE DATA HAVE BEEN USED TO DESIGN COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGNS AND TO DEVELOP NEW PROJECTS TO ADDRESS CHALLENGES WITH OUR SISTER PROGRAM, READY2RESPOND. FURTHERMORE, IT DEVELOPED A INFORMATION RESOURCE PACKAGE FOR IMMUNIZATION POLICY LEADERS IN THE NORTH AFRICA-MIDDLE EAST REGION AND ADDED UKRAINE TO THE PIVI PARTNERSHIP THE GLOBAL FUNDERS CONSORTIUM FOR UNIVERSAL INFLUENZA VACCINE DEVELOPMENT (UVAX) PROGRAM UNDERTOOK A NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES. IT CONVENED AN ANNUAL MEETING AND PRODUCED REPORT OF THE ANNUAL MEETINGS THAT SERVE TO IDENTIFY ONGOING WORK IN THE FIELD, HIGHLIGHT OPPORTUNITIES FOR INVESTMENT, IDENTIFY CHALLENGES THAT THREATEN TO SLOW PROGRESS IN THE FIELD, AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES. THE FOURTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE CONSORTIUM TOOK PLACE IN TWO VIRTUAL SESSIONS ON OCTOBER 28 AND NOVEMBER 16, 2020 WITH THE FOLLOWING OUTCOMES: (1) COMMON LANDSCAPE OF CONSORTIUM MEMBER ACTIVITIES AND PARTNERSHIPS DURING THE PAST YEAR; (2) CONSENSUS ON CONTINUING KEY CONSORTIUM-FOSTERED ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING THE INFLUENZA VACCINE ROADMAP AND PRODUCT LANDSCAPE. IN ADDITION, UVAX COMPLETED AND RELEASED THE INFLUENZA VACCINE ROADMAP - THE CULMINATION OF 3-YEARS OF PLANNING AND CONSULTATION. THIS WILL PROVIDE A CONSENSUS GROUP OR SEQUENCED ACTIVITIES THAT WILL ACCELERATE THE PATH TO IMPROVED INFLUENZA VACCINES. IT PARTICIPATED AS A MEMBER OF THE IVR STEERING COMMITTEE WITH AN ONGOING SUPPORT FOR DEVELOPMENT OF A TECHNOLOGY LANDSCAPE FOR IMPROVED/UNIVERSAL VACCINES -A REVISED VERSION OF THE LANDSCAPE WAS PUBLISHED IN JANUARY 2021, AND TFGH HAS MONTHLY CALLS AND RECEIVES MONTHLY REPORTS FROM CIDRAP REGARDING PROGRESS. A NEW CONTRACT TO EXTEND THE WORK WAS COMPLETED IN SEPTEMBER 2021. THE PROGRAM WORKED WITH WHO TO DEVELOP THE PLAN FOR CREATING THE FULL VALUE INFLUENZA VACCINES ASSESSMENT, WHICH WILL ADDRESS THE CONSENSUS STATEMENT FROM MEMBERS TO DEVELOP MODELS TO UNDERSTAND THE FULL VALUE OF NEXT GENERATION INFLUENZA VACCINES. FUNDING FOR THE WORK WAS MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH OTHER TFGH INFLUENZA PROGRAMS (PIVI AND READY2RESPOND), BUT THE RESULTS WILL ADDRESS CONSORTIUM PRIORITIES. THERE WAS ALSO A RE-ENGAGEMENT AND EXPANSION OF THE INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT WORKING GROUP TO RE-ENGAGE INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES. THE FOCUS OF THE ENGAGEMENT WAS TO UNDERSTAND THE EFFECTS OF COVID-19 ON THEIR PLANNED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF INFLUENZA VACCINES. A STANDARD DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENT WAS DEVELOPED AND 12 INDUSTRY MEMBERS WERE INTERVIEWED USING A STRUCTURED INTERVIEW BY THE WORKING GROUP AND THE RESULTS WAS PRESENTED AT THE DECEMBER 2021 MEETING. FINALLY, NEW MEMBERS WERE ADDED INCLUDING THE DEPARTMENT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY (GOVERNMENT OF INDIA) AND THE INSTITUTE OF VIROLOGY (RUSSIA). THE COALITION FOR GLOBAL HEPATITIS ELIMINATION (CGHE) IS THE ONLY TECHNICAL AND CAPACITY-BUILDING ORGANIZATION SOLELY DEVOTED TO HEPATITIS B AND HEPATITIS C ELIMINATION. THE COALITION IS SUCCESSFULLY DEMONSTRATED HOW COLLABORATIONS IN TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, ADVOCACY, AND RESEARCH HELP GLOBAL, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL LEADERS CAN REACH GOALS FOR HEPATITIS ELIMINATION. BELOW IS A SUMMARY OF KEY PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS. VIRTUAL LEARNING PROGRAMS: OVER THE YEAR, THE COALITION CREATED NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARTNERS TO SHARE RESEARCH FINDINGS AND FIELD EXPERIENCES. CGHE LAUNCHED 21 VIRTUAL LEARNING SESSIONS THAT REACHED 2,200 REGISTRANTS FROM 90 COUNTRIES. RECORDED SESSIONS WERE VIEWED 900+ TIMES. ONE VIRTUAL MEETING SERIES CENTERED ON INCREASING THE NUMBER OF AFRICAN COUNTRIES ADOPTING POLICIES FOR UNIVERSAL HEPATITIS B BIRTH DOSE VACCINATION OF NEWBORNS. THE COALITION CONVENED 290 STAKEHOLDERS FROM 35 COUNTRIES TO SHARE UPDATES ON THE STATUS OF HEPATITIS B BIRTH DOSE VACCINATION AND TO IDENTIFY NEEDS FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. AS PART OF THIS EFFORT, THE COALITION BEGAN PREPARING A TOOLKIT TO GUIDE POLICY DEVELOPMENT FOR HEPATITIS B BIRTH DOSE VACCINATION. OTHER VIRTUAL MEETING TOPICS INCLUDED SCALING HEPATITIS TESTING AND LINKAGE TO CARE AND TRANSLATION OF HEPATITIS RESEARCH INTO PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE. LAUNCH OF HEPATITIS ELIMINATION TOOL: BUDGETING AND FINANCIAL PLANNING ARE AN ESSENTIAL PART OF HEPATITIS ELIMINATION PLANNING. IN JULY 2021, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL/HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL, THE COALITION LAUNCHED THE WEB-BASED HEP C ELIMINATION TOOL TO SUPPORT NATIONAL PROGRAMS IN BUDGET-BASED PLANNING. THE FREE TOOL HELPS COUNTRIES ESTIMATE THE HEPATITIS C TESTING AND TREATMENT VOLUMES NEEDED FOR HCV ELIMINATION AND THE ASSOCIATED COSTS OF ACHIEVING THESE GOALS. NATIONAL HEPATITIS ELIMINATION PROFILES: SIX NATIONAL HEPATITIS ELIMINATION PROFILES WERE DEVELOPED FOR THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, MEXICO, BRAZIL, ARGENTINA, AND PERU AND RELEASED ON WORLD HEPATITIS DAY 2021. THESE PROFILES BROUGHT TOGETHER LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS TO FORGE A SHARED UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR NATION'S HEPATITIS BURDEN, ALONG WITH THE UNIQUE STRENGTHS AND CHALLENGES OF THE HEPATITIS RESPONSE. ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDED, HOSTING A VIRTUAL SIDE-EVENT AT THE 2020 UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON THE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES PRESENTED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC FOR HEPATITIS ELIMINATION, ASSISTING WHO'S DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW GLOBAL STRATEGY FOR VIRAL HEPATITIS ELIMINATION, COMPLETING A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF 100+ NATIONAL HEPATITIS ACTION PLANS, PUBLISHING A MULTI-COUNTRY RESEARCH STUDY ON HCV RETREATMENT AND HONORING 7 HEPATITIS ELIMINATION CHAMPIONS FOR WORLD HEPATITIS DAY