ARMENIA

Armenia joined PIVI in 2015. Healthcare personnel, military personnel, the elderly, and children in orphanages have been Armenia’s target groups for influenza vaccination. Armenia’s National Centre for Disease Control and Prevention worked with PIVI to distribute 60,000 vaccines in fewer than seven weeks in 2015. 30,000 doses were distributed to the military, 5,000 doses were donated for residents of a specific region, and 25,000 doses were distributed to high-risk groups in the general population: children, healthcare workers and the elderly. 98.9% of the 25,000 vaccines were administered, and a very high percentage of healthcare workers received vaccine. Armenia received an additional 60,000 doses in 2017, prioritizing children above other groups. Armenia will receive 30,000 doses of vaccine for the 2018-2018 influenza season, with distribution planned among the same risk groups. 

Armenia is a recipient of a vaccine policy development cooperative agreement with CDC, facilitating complementary technical work to support the expansion of their vaccination program and to develop a formal national vaccination policy. The country completed a series of focus groups among targeted populations in early 2017, and helped to create messages used in communication and awareness raising campaigns. In fall 2017 Armenia hosted a training in evidence-based review for their National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NITAG). As a result of the training, a national technical dossier and recommendation note have been completed. Armenia conducted a program evaluation following the 2018-2019 season, along with a post-campaign series of focus groups or KAP study. In addition, the country is currently planning a costing analysis and public communications campaign.

During the 2021 influenza season, Armenia trained a total of 3,500 healthcare workers on the benefits of influenza vaccination. The country has seen an increase in the uptake of influenza vaccination across all target groups (pregnant women, children five years and younger, people with medical conditions, people over 65 years, health care providers, and special groups of population (i.e. orphanages, special educational institutions, nursing homes, etc.).