Overview
The global community of practice around HPV vaccination is not formalised to cut across multiple disciplines, and thought leaders from low- and middle-income countries (LICs and MICs) have not had sufficient opportunity to participate in shaping global dialogues on science, policy and program implementation. Cervical cancer elimination efforts lack an inclusive forum to facilitate fluid communication between individuals advancing science and those developing evidence-based policies and programs.
This initiative serves to address this by uniting the efforts and resources of 4 partnering organisations – the International Vaccine Access Center at Johns Hopkins University (IVAC), Jhpiego, and the Vaccine Confidence Project (VCP) at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and the Centre for the Evaluation of Vaccination at the University of Antwerp – into a Coalition to Strengthen the HPV Immunisation Community (CHIC).
Together, we are working to build and support optimised local programs, guide rapid country adoption of revisions in schedule recommendations, and accelerate progress in HPV vaccine introduction in Gavi-eligible countries.
The CHIC project is generously supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Focus areas
The focus of the CHIC Project includes:
- Providing and manage a platform that identifies and elevates the voices of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to shape global science, policy, and program dialogues on HPV vaccination;
- Fostering the leadership of a robust community of practice around HPV vaccines that connects scientists, decision-makers, and decision-influencers in-country and across regions
- Supporting sustainable introductions and restoration of HPV vaccination programs.
Symposia series
The project’s aim will be addressed through meetings and a symposia series in GAVI-eligible countries to stimulate communication between stakeholders advancing science, developing evidence-based policies, and managing programs in and across countries. The first CHIC Symposium took place on the 24th and 25th of September in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The objectives of the symposia is to create an HPV community in the global south by engaging countries at different levels of HPV vaccination program introduction to share their experiences and lessons learned, discuss evidence-based policies and program management in- and across countries, and contribute to the HPV research agenda.
CHIC Symposia Series: HPV African stakeholders meeting, Addis Ababa Ethiopia 2022
