Over 30,000 Ukrainian medical workers have successfully passed the immunization training course with the support of the WHO Country Office in Ukraine.

“WHO СO UKR will continue to support vaccination against COVID-19 in Ukraine. WHO immunization training course for Ukraine is a long-term initiative to ensure the continuity of capacity development for the immunization programme in each region of Ukraine. So the training continues” - said Jarno Habicht, the World Health Organization representative and head of country office to Ukraine.

 

“Training took place in a cascsde  method. The first wave was the ToT phase (training of trainers). 340 physicians became professional instructors who later on, on the basis of 28 regional training centers, 12 training centers in medical schools, and a medical training center for the military, provided training for vaccination. As a result, Ukraine has achieved the average European level of immunization coverage of the population against COVID-19 by conducting up to 300 thousand vaccinations a day, " - mentioned regarding WHO CO UKR support by Ihor Kuzin, Deputy Minister of Health of Ukraine - Chief State Sanitary Doctor of Ukraine.

By February 2022, more than 30,000 Ukrainian health workers had completed 1,125 2-day vaccine safety and correct administration practices courses.

Each course consisted of 16 hours of in-person training, during which participants learned how to handle and administer COVID-19 vaccine products and how to organize vaccination sessions in various settings. During each training, participants also acquire hands-on skills on how to recognize and manage anaphylaxis and other acute AEFI. The training programme also includes details on how to enter data for each patient into the electronic medical records system and details of the national vaccine deployment plan.

To support the functioning of the established training hubs, the WHO Country Office in Ukraine has provided logistical support, as well as procured and delivered over 287 000 sets of personal protective equipment and 75 000 items of printed educational materials.

Launched in March 2021, this longitudinal immunization training program is part of a partnership between the European Union (EU) and WHO EURO to support the deployment of COVID-19 vaccines and routine vaccination in the EU's Eastern Partnership countries. The Public Health Center of Ukraine, the State Expert Center of Ukraine, and the National Health Service of Ukraine were also involved in the project.

Immunization trainings have been supported by WHO in partnership with European Union.