M-RITE YEAR FOUR CORE WORKPLAN: Routine Immunization Transformation and Equity

Agency for International Development (USAID) cooperative agreement led by JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. (JSI) along with PATH, Accenture Development Partnerships, Results for Development, CORE Group, and The Manoff Group. M-RITE aims to sustainably strengthen routine immunization (RI) programs to overcome entrenched obstacles contributing to stagnating and declining immunization rates in maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH)/family planning (FP)/reproductive health (RH) in priority countries. The initiative supports countries with the maintenance, adaptation, and rebuilding of immunization services in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and its disruption of immunization services. M-RITE provides technical assistance to adapt immunization delivery strategies, support strategies for tracking and follow-up of individuals who miss vaccinations, assess immunity gaps, re-establish community trust and demand for vaccination, and support COVID-19 vaccination. The initiative is part of USAID's MOMENTUM suite of awards designed to strengthen the resiliency of health systems and help ensure that investments in USAID countries are tailored to context and foster sustainability. M-RITE will support countries to achieve immunization goals within their national strategic plans for health, specifically strengthening the planning, delivery, demand, and uptake of immunization services and informing policies and programming that expand access to immunization programs. M-RITE's vision places people at the center of immunization, including zero-dose and under-immunized children, caregivers, people who influence immunization-related behavior, older age groups, and people who support provision and use of immunization services. The initiative's strategy focuses on strengthening the planning, delivery, demand, and uptake of immunization services, as well as informing policies and programming that expand access to immunization programs. M-RITE will provide targeted technical assistance and capacity development assistance to USAID focus countries, local organizations, and existing in-country programs, as well as provide technical expertise on global policies, guidelines, and strategies. M-RITE's technical priorities include Result 1: Access to and use of evidence-based, high-quality MNCH/FP/RH information, services, and interventions scaled-up and sustained; Result 2: Capacity of host country institutions, local organizations, and providers to deliver evidence-based, high-quality MNCH/FP/RH services improved; Result 3: Adaptive learning and use of evidence in MNCH/FP/RH programming through sustained host country technical leadership increased; and Result 4: Cross-sectoral collaboration and innovative partnerships between MNCH/FP/RH and non-MNCH/FP/RH local organizations increased. M-RITE will support countries to achieve immunization goals within their national strategic plans for health, specifically strengthening the planning, delivery, demand, and uptake of immunization services and informing policies and programming that expand access to immunization programs. M-RITE's activities will focus on the global level and African region, building on work from the first three years of the project. The initiative will provide technical assistance and capacity development assistance to USAID focus countries, local organizations, and existing in-country programs, as well as provide technical expertise on global policies, guidelines, and strategies. M-RITE's vision places people at the center of immunization, and the initiative's strategy focuses on strengthening the planning, delivery, demand, and uptake of immunization services, as well as informing policies and programming that expand access to immunization programs. M-RITE's core workplan covers activities for the period from October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024, with a focus on the global level and African region. The initiative will provide technical assistance and capacity development assistance to USAID focus countries, local organizations, and existing in-country programs, as well as provide technical expertise on global policies, guidelines, and strategies. M-RITE's vision places people at the center of immunization, and the initiative's strategy focuses on strengthening the planning, delivery, demand, and uptake of immunization services, as well as informing policies and programming that expand access to immunization programs.