Investigator(s)
| WHO Technical Officer |
Rahul Srivastava WHO SEARO Technical Officer-Measles and VPD Research Rahul Srivastava 
|
| Principal Investigator |
Narendra Kumar Arora Chief Scientist & Mentor, The INCLEN Trust International Narendra Kumar Arora
|
Title(s) and abstract
| Scientific title | Mid-term evaluation of the Strategic Framework for the WHO South-East Asia Regional Vaccine Action Plan 2022-30 |
| Public title | Evaluation for RVAP/RVIP |
| Background | In 2020, the World Health Assembly endorsed the Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) as the global strategy to strengthen immunization systems through 2030. In alignment with IA2030, the WHO South-East Asia Region developed the Strategic Framework for the Regional Vaccine Action Plan (RVAP) 2022–2030, endorsed in 2021, followed by the Regional Vaccine Implementation Plan (RVIP) 2022–2026 to operationalize the strategy. The Strategic Framework and RVIP have guided the Region in recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic while advancing immunization coverage, vaccine equity, disease elimination and control goals, reduction of zero-dose children, introduction of new vaccines, and stronger immunization systems. By 2026, the Strategic Framework reaches its midpoint and the RVIP its final year. Together with the IA2030 Mid-Term Review, regional priority-setting exercises and ongoing development of National Immunization Strategies, this presents an ideal opportunity to assess WHO's contribution to RVAP/RVIP implementation, identify achievements and gaps, and generate evidence to inform next Regional Vaccine Implementation Plan (RVIP) 2027–2030 & strengthen immunization programme across Region. |
| Objectives | Aim is to determine the progress, effectiveness, and gaps in the immunization programme across the WHO South-East Asia Region by conducting a mid-term external review of the Strategic Framework 2022–2030 and a completion review of the RVIP 2022–2026. The evaluation will provide a detailed understanding of how, when, and to what extent results have been achieved with WHO’s contribution and will generate evidence to guide the development of the RVIP 2027–2030 strategy. Objectives In context to WHO’s contribution under the RVAP/RVIP, the specific objectives include: 1. Assess progress towards the goals and targets of the Strategic Framework 2022–2030 and the RVIP 2022–26. 2. Identify key successes, good practices, and enabling factors that have contributed to immunization programme achievements in the Region. 3. Identify gaps, bottlenecks, and challenges affecting implementation at regional and country levels. 4. Recommend mid-course corrections to Strategic Framework to recalibrate and reprioritize current programmes for the 2026–30 period. 5. Provide strategic recommendations for the development and implementation of RVIP, ensuring sustained progress towards impact goals |
| Study Methods | The evaluation will adopt a mixed-methods, theory-driven approach aligned with the WHO Evaluation Policy (2018), WHO Evaluation Handbook (2022), UNEG standards and OECD/DAC evaluation criteria. It will focus exclusively on WHO's contribution to the implementation of the Regional Vaccine Action Plan (RVAP) 2022–2030 and the Regional Vaccine Implementation Plan (RVIP) 2022–2026 across the ten Member States of the WHO South-East Asia Region. The evaluation will be implemented in six phases: inception and tool development, methodology validation, data collection and analysis, report preparation, debriefing with WHO SEARO, and presentation of findings to the Regional Immunization Technical Advisory Group (RITAG). Data collection will include a comprehensive desk review of regional and country documents (2019–2026), key informant interviews, virtual consultations, and country visits to India, Nepal, Myanmar and Thailand, complemented by virtual consultations with the remaining Member States. Stakeholders will include Ministries of Health, WHO country and regional offices, WHO Headquarters, technical advisory bodies and development partners. The evaluation will assess WHO's strategic leadership, technical assistance, coordination, advocacy, system strengthening, monitoring and evaluation, research and innovation, and examine the translation of RVAP priorities into national immunization strategies, implementation plans and surveillance systems. Quantitative and qualitative findings will be triangulated using descriptive, thematic and contribution analyses. The evaluation will produce regional and country-specific reports highlighting WHO's contribution, key achievements, implementation gaps, lessons learnt and prioritized recommendations to inform the development of the Region |
| Expected outcomes and use of results | The outcome of the review will be a comprehensive and detailed analysis report that captures the findings from all stages of the evaluation of RVAP and RVIP, with country level findings. Including recommendations for the development of the Regional Vaccine Implementation Plan 2027–2030. Apart from this Regional report, there will be a separate report for the IPD evaluation for Nepal with specific national level findings. |
| Keywords | Evaluation, RVIP, RVAP, Immunization |
Research Details
| Student research | No |
| Start Date | 20-Jul-2026 |
| End Date | 30-Nov-2026 |
| Key Implementing Institution | INCLEN Trust Internatinonal |
| Multi-country research | Yes |
| South-East Asia | |
| Nationwide research | Yes |
| Research Domain(s) | Communicable Disease Research |
| Research field(s) | Immunization/Vaccine Preventable Disease |
| Involves human subjects | No |
| Data Collection | Primary and secondary data |
| Proposal reviewed by other Committee | Under Review |