Immunization Resource Tracking Exercise : Case Study on the Republic of Tajikistan

Abstract

This paper summarizes the approach and findings of a case study of an immunization resource tracking exercise undertaken in the Republic of Tajikistan for 2005. The immunization resource tracking exercise in Tajikistan was largely an exploratory exercise to examine allocation and use of both donor and government resources for the national immunization program and immunization service delivery. Tajikistan was selected as the focus of this work for several reasons: a) Tajikistan has received significant external financing of immunization services from the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) Alliance since 2001, and introduced new vaccines (Hepatitis B) in 2002.; b) immunization program performance, measured as the number of Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis vaccine (DTP3) doses provided, has not increased at commensurate levels as immunization financing; and, c) the start of a Health public expenditure tracking survey (PETS) was an opportunity to link immunization tracking to health resource tracking. The study had the benefit of seeing how results in immunization resource flows fit within those of the health sector. This case study represents one of the first systematic assessments of immunization resource flows at country level.