Review of USAID/REACH emergency childhood immunization support activities in 1992 in four Central Asian Republics and anticipated requirements for 1993 (summary report)

provided emergency assistance to the child immunization services of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Assistance included the supply of sufficient vaccines to allow each country to complete primary immunization of over 500,000 children; initiation of the upgrade of cold chains in each country to ensure the safe storage and transport of vaccines; and a technical exchange process that supports revitalization of present policy and practice. While the 1992 program assisted countries to maintain immunization services and began the process of change, further assistance will be needed in 1993 to consolidate and expand on the gains made. Such support should include: (1) ensurance that each of the countries have sufficient vaccine for primary immunization of all their children in 1993; (2) development of a "vaccine safety net" to provide timely warning to the international community of pending shortages; (3) assistance in the development of a cold chain between vaccine producers in the former Soviet Union and each of the countries; (4) further strengthening of cold chain practices, repair, and maintenance within each country, and additional commodity support; and (5) the provision of TA for addressing such issues as international vaccine procurement, immunization policy formulation, program planning, program monitoring, and disease surveillance. The needs within the Central Asian Republics are great. The coordinated assistance of all donors will be needed to ensure that the total needs are met. The requirements outlined in this report are directed at the wider donor community. (Author abstract)