On June 20th, 2024, the historic city of Athens became a hub of collaboration in the pursuit of vaccine equity. Country leaders from the RIVER-EU project gathered at Prolepsis’s offices for the midterm meeting of Work Package 4 (Implementation and evaluation of tailored interventions). This meeting was more than a procedural checkpoint; it was a step in uniting in our shared vision to increase MMR and HPV vaccine uptake among underserved communities.
Implementers from Poland, the Netherlands, Greece, and Slovakia came together to share their experiences, successes, and challenges in their interventions. By exchanging lessons learnt on the implementation of tailored interventions, we aimed to refine our current strategies and enhance the effectiveness of our efforts. This meeting also served to align the project’s various efforts, laying the groundwork for the future development of both the comprehensive guidelines and the sustainability of results strategy based on our work with communities.
Meeting in person allowed for genuine dialogue and stronger connections, essential for successful collaboration. The presence of coordinators from University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) and Bar-Ilan University (BIU) highlighted the importance of integrating these insights into the project’s broader framework.
Country highlights: a rich exchange of insights
The meeting was rich with discussions and presentations from each country team, highlighting nuances of their interventions:
Poland
In Poland the interventions take place in three cities: Zielona Gora located in the west, Lublin and Rzeszów, both located in the east, near the Ukrainian border. The recent Russian invasion in Ukraine, has caused a demographic shift, presenting unique challenges and opportunities for the implementers. Today, women and children fleeing the war have replaced the economic migrants who were the original target of the study.
Learn more about the selected interventions to improve vaccine uptake in Poland.
Greece
In Greece all interventions are concentrated in Athens. The Greek team shared the challenges of high mobility among refugees and migrants, as most people within these groups aim to settle in other countries of the European Union rather than stay in Greece. They also noted that migrants and refugees who are more established in the country show greater interest in attending the information sessions about the health system, including vaccination.
Learn more about the selected interventions to improve vaccine uptake in Greece.
Slovakia
In Slovakia, interventions target thirty-seven Roma health mediators from three regional groups of marginalised Roma communities located in the eastern part of the country. Educational sessions have also been provided to parents and children from sixteen of these communities. The involvement of Roma health mediators was crucial in engaging Roma parents; however, bringing healthcare providers into the training proved to be a significant challenge, making their participation in the educational sessions unfeasible. Despite this, thanks to the efforts of the Slovak Society of Primary Paediatric Care and the cooperation with Roma health mediators, healthcare providers were kept well-informed through project materials. They cited work overload as a reason for their non-participation, but they were offered ongoing support and regular contact from Pavol Jozef Šafárik University (UPJS) team members and Roma health mediators.
Learn more about the selected interventions to improve vaccine uptake in Slovakia.
The Netherlands
In the Netherlands the implementations are taking place in Groningen, in the north of the country and Utrecht and Rotterdam, in the Randstad region. Well-established networks of health promoters are greatly helping to promote the participation of the Turkish and Moroccan communities in the informative sessions about the HPV vaccination. Training material for professionals is developed in close collaboration with the National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). After the project ends, the training becomes an official programme endorsed by the RIVM and will continue to be available.
Learn more about the selected interventions to improve vaccine uptake in the Netherlands.
Listening and tailoring: a key to success
Each country faced unique challenges among their respective communities. These midterm meeting discussions reinforced the importance of tailoring interventions to fit specific contexts. A one-size-fits-all approach will not succeed. Instead, adaptive strategies that consider local dynamics and communities’ characteristics are essential for success.
As we move forward, the lessons learned in Athens will guide our efforts. We are committed to making our interventions both effective and sustainable, ensuring they remain responsive to the evolving needs of the communities we serve. Through continuous learning and adaptation, we aim to create a lasting impact on vaccine equity.