The World Health Organization (WHO) positively assessed the transition of Ukraine to long-term planning of vaccines and supplies. The WHO has noted that new approaches are a guarantee of uninterrupted delivery of safe and high-quality vaccines at all levels and it will lead to improved immunization service delivery at every health facility in the country.

We remind here that in January 2019 the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine adopted amendments to Resolution No. 298, which provides for a three-year planning for the procurement of vaccines.

Developed by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and approved by the Government, a new methodology for calculating vaccine needs meets international standards, as international organizations such as the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) have been involved in working on it.

The methodology provides for the long-term planning of a national immunization program and the creation of 25% of the buffer stock of vaccines, taking into account the need for vaccines for both scheduled vaccinations and for enhanced immunization. Thus, it is planned to get as accurately as possible the needs calculations, to increase the efficiency of using budget funds and to provide Ukrainians with the necessary vaccines at the maximum.

In order to establish long-term planning in Ukraine, the Center for Public Health of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine together with the WHO conducted a series of training workshops for regional specialists. Participants in seminars, first of all, mastered the new methods of evaluation of the target group and prediction of supply of vaccines. They also considered the predicting of a need and demand for vaccines with the view to the outbreak of measles and measures for additional immunization against poliomyelitis.