WASHINGTON, June 17 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Amid the evolving global challenges posed by the novel coronavirus pandemic, immunization professionals must now grapple with deploying routine immunization services in a daunting and ever-shifting landscape. In a recent survey of 800 immunization professionals conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Sabin Vaccine Institute (Sabin) and other key partners, 64 percent of respondents reported significant disruptions to immunization in their country or community, with either zero or limited outreach activities taking place and fewer visits to vaccination posts. To strengthen immunization professionals’ ability to navigate the complex challenges of their work, Sabin launched the Boost Community (Boost), a global network dedicated to serving immunization professionals, supported by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Immunization professionals must be equipped with a mindset oriented toward problem-solving, steeped in professionalism and grounded in resilience. Boost supports this vision through trainings, peer-to-peer engagement and collaborative learning. Since the network launched in early 2020, its membership has swelled in number and diversity, attracting nearly 900 individual members from more than 100 countries.