The document discusses CORE Group Polio Project's work in Ethiopia integrating polio eradication efforts with other health programs through local partnerships. It summarizes that CORE began in 2001 partnering with international and local NGOs covering over 11 million people. It established a "Secretariat Model" coordinating polio vaccination and routine immunization, as well as malaria and surveillance efforts. This integrated approach provided opportunities to address other health issues and increased vaccination coverage in targeted areas.

1. Polio Eradication as a Platform for Integration Filimona Bisrat (MD, MPH), CORE Group Polio Project June 15, 2011 Global Health Council 38 th Annual International Conference Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington, DC

2. CORE Group Ethiopia CORE began polio work in Ethiopia in Nov. 2001 3 programs (malaria., EPI, polio eradication) Partnering with 9 International & 11 local NGOs Covering 132 Woredas in 8 Regions & one City Administration Reaching a total population of 11,458,933 CORE Ethiopia Secretariat housed in CCRDA

3. Hard to reach and rural areas Pastoralist populations Porous borders with Sudan, Kenya Somalia & Djibouti

4. CORE Group Ethiopia Projects Funded by: USAID 7 regions, 19 Zones & 55 Woredas Beneficiaries Total population of 4,576,557 < 1 yr 101,648 < 5 yr 618,360 < 15 yr 1,905,903 11 NGOs (7 intl. & 4 local) 5 yr. grant up to 2012 Funded by : GAVI through FMOH 4 regions & 40 Districts Beneficiaries Total population of 2,404,285 < 1 yr 60,947 < 5 yr 115,405 7 NGOs (4 intl. & 3 local) 1.8 M USD for 2 yrs. Funded by Global Fund through FMOH 6 regions, 1 CA & 100 Districts Beneficiaries Total population of 6,748,026 Pregnant Women 264,929 < 5 yr - 874,353 14 NGOs (4 intl. & 10 local) 3.9 M USD for 3 yrs CORE GROUP POLIO PROJECT GAVI CSO Support Project Malaria FMOH/GF Project

5. “ Secretariat Model” as a platform Integration among PVOs/NGOs between CSO and other national and global stakeholders Opportunity to address other issues through same community level structures Routine immunization Integrated disease surveillance Malaria

6. The CGE Secretariat Members International CARE CCF CRS Plan SC-US WVE IRC AMREF PCI KHI Key Partners FMoH USAID WHO UNICEF CCRDA Rotary International Local Partners PC ATCC HCS EECMY AdCS BCS JeCCDO M4M TYA TRTA APDA

7. Secretariat Model Approach Democratic decision process Coordination, technical backstopping and quality assurance of the activities through Representation at national and international forums Documentation of impact/outcomes Integrated implementation at community level focused on awareness and demand creation and support to service delivery Capacity building for government staff as well as NGO/PVOs at central, regional and woreda levels

8. CORE Ethiopia Organogram Director Communication Officer Monitoring & Evaluation Officer Program Director CGPP Focal Person GAVI Focal Person Malaria Focal Person Senior Finance Officer Finance Officer Admin. & Liaison Officer Admin Assistant Driver Focal Persons/Program Officers/ are assigned based on geographical location in order to make supervision & follow up activities for all the three projects

9. Achievements

10. Representation of Community-level Expertise National Level Inter-agency Coordination Committee (ICC) New vaccine initiative National Malaria Task Force Coordination Against Malaria in Ethiopia – Steering committee member International level WHO’s AFRO Task Force for Immunization GAVI Civil Society Task Force & steering committee member

11. Major Outcomes of State-Level Advocacy Participation of Presidents and senior officials Regional states on Immunization increased Regional interagency Coordination Committee (ICC) established Woreda EPI taskforce established at Woreda level Penta 3 coverage has become one the evaluation criteria for Woreda administration councils Gambella Regional President participates in polio campaign

12. In CORE Group Polio Project Areas

13. Routine Immunization Baseline & Midterm in CGPP Areas CARD RETENTION * Represents statistically significant difference (at alpha = 5%) between baseline and midterm figures.

14. Routine Immunization Baseline & Midterm in CGPP Areas * Represents statistically significant difference (at alpha = 5%) between baseline and midterm figures. OPV0 OPV0 OPV0 OPV3 OPV3 OPV3 Penta1 Penta1 Penta1 Penta3 Penta3 Penta3 * * * * * * * * * Baseline n=883 Midterm n=286 Baseline n=602 Midterm n=281 Baseline n=593 Midterm n=263

15. Lessons Learnt Manage larger coverage geographically and in beneficiaries including previously silent areas Able to create joint action against polio as well as other killer diseases that are rampant in the country . Enhancing the capacity of partners’ staff and front line health workers as well as volunteer community health workers Obtained recognition of its joint effort and awarded additional funds from GAVI Alliance CSO support and Global fund Malaria Project to extend its coverage and capacity. Accorded seat on ICC as well as other policy bodies and representation to international bodies by FMOH

16. Challenges Establishing trust Among IPVOs Gaining confidence of external stakeholders in CSO capacity Administrative policies vary widely across partner organization Variation in technical capacity of partners

17. The Way Forward Expansion in relation to geography and type of interventions to other unreached areas Best mix of technical areas? Role beyond 2012/eradication of polio Incorporation of secretariat as bona fide in-country NGO to continue collaborative efforts to improve women’s and children’s health

18. Social Mobilization Activities

19. Thank You!