SAVIC Unit
About SAVIC Unit
The South African Vaccination and Immunisation Centre (SAVIC) were established in 2003, as a network of partners in the field of vaccination and immunisation. SAVIC is a Public Private Academic alliance between the National Department of Health (NDoH), the vaccine industry, academic institutions and other stakeholders, with its activities undertaken in close collaboration with the NDoH, Network for Education and Support in Immunisation (NESI, based at the University of Antwerp), the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners.
Strategic operational areas of SAVIC focus on three issues:
Education and Training
SAVIC, in collaboration with NDoH, the National Advisory Group on Immunisation (NAGI) and partners from the vaccine industry initiated the development of an online Higher Certificate (HCert) Vaccinology Programme geared towards the training of in-service HCWs who work in EPI-SA and private sector clinics that offer childhood vaccination services.
Operational Research
SAVIC research is based around three key areas: behavioral and social issues; epidemiology of VPDs; and health systems management and policy.
Technical Support and Advocacy
The main objective is to allow rapid dissemination of up-to-date information on vaccines and immunisation at global, regional and national level.