$100,000 Worth Of Grants For Unique, Sustainable Immunisation Ideas

The Sanofi Pasteur Vaxigrants program has put out a call to immunisation providers in Australia to submit sustainable, replicable ideas for immunisation programs that the company could potentially offer one of four $25,000 grants.
The four-year-old Vaxigrants program is designed to encourage healthcare professionals in considering innovative ways to implement vaccination programs, offerings its funding to see the ideas come to fruition.
Nurse Immuniser and Networking Health Victoria member Kate Russo will again be on the judging panel this year.
"There were some outstanding entries in 2014 with some exceptional thinking which highlights the valuable nature of the program for immunisation providers around the country," Ms Russo said.
"With new categories and more funds to bring ideas to life, it’s worth exploring what Vaxigrants can offer.
"There’s even an open category this year, so there really are options for everyone."
The independent Vaxigrants judges will choose the four best ideas to receive a $25,000 Vaxigrant from the following categories:

• Timeliness of vaccination schedules


• Vaccination clinics in non-traditional settings


• Coverage in populations that are challenging to reach e.g. indigenous, out-of-home care children, refugees, asylum seekers  or Australians returning home


• Uptake of vaccines recommended for healthcare workers


• Pregnancy and flu vaccination


• Vaccine refusers or vaccine hesitant


• Open category (applicants create their own category)

Sanofi Pasteur Medical & Regulatory Affairs Director Dr Andrea Forde said the program reflects Sanofi Pasteur’s continuing commitment to boost immunisation rates in Australia.
"The categories this year cover the pertinent themes in immunisation that are developing very quickly in Australia," she said.
"Ideally the Vaxigrants will be able to help assist this growth and reflect positive health outcomes for local communities."
Ideas can be submitted via www.vaxigrants.com.au until 17 April 2015 at 5pm EST.
The winners will be announced in June 2015 at the Communicable Disease Control Conference (CDC) in Brisbane.