The TechNet EForum

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The TechNet E-Forum

• Presentation by IT Power India Pvt. Ltd.

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INTRODUCTION

• TechNet stands for Technical Network for
  Strengthening Immunization Services.
• A WHO-UNICEF network for strengthening
  immunization logistics established in 1989
• The communications initiative was launched in
  1998.
• The TechNet21 Mailing List is supported by the
  website.

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The Mailing List
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Mailing List Purpose

• The mailing list is an information exchange
  platform for
• Immunization services delivery
• Logistics
• Equipment
• Innovation and research
• Anything pertaining to Strengthening Immunization
• Immunization issues are debated, discussed and
  clarified.
• Interactive medium for immunization experts,
  researchers, academicians, policy makers, donors,
  equipment manufacturers and health workers.

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Mailing List Features

• Moderated Contributions from readers
• Information updates from WHO, e.g. PQS/ PIS,
  GAVI,etc.
• Wide-ranging topics cold chain logistics, new
  vaccines, polio eradication, school vaccination,
  VVM, waste incineration, energy needs, etc.
• Announcements from WHO, PATH, UNICEF, CDC-- jobs,
  scholarships, conferences, new research etc.
• Archives from January 2000 onwards on the website
  forums

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Mailing List Function

• Regular posts delivered into your inbox
• Average of 12 posts a month
• Includes moderator generated posts
• All posts mirrored to online forums on the website

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Posts in 2008

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Activity in 2008
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Major topics 2008

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Minor Topics 2008

• Small-scale incinerators for safety boxes.
• HPV
• Making responsible choices for public health
• Including hepatitis reduction among the MDGs
• Use of portable steam sterilizers
• Protecting public trust in immunization
• Alma Ata Declaration
• Collaborating networks
• Bridging the digital divide
• Tracking bags
• Private sectors role in providing immunization
  services in developing countries.

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Participation in 2008

• Total number of Subscribers 1163
• Contributors 65
• Major contributors

Mogens Munck (5) Umit Kartogulu (5) John Lloyd
(4) Robert Steinglass (4) Anil Varshney
(7) Anthony Battersby (6)
Terry Hart (6) Rowan Wagner (4) Hans Everts
(6) Tasnim Partapuri (4) Rajesh Sood
(6) Giridhara Babu (4)

• Many posts were also initiated by the
  moderator
• Additionally, there have been PQS/PIS
  announcements, Health Reports and Job
  announcements

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The Website
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The website provides

• Immunization news
• Event calendar
• Expert database
• Tools and Resources
• Reference documents
• A searchable copy of the mailing list in the
  online forums, dating back to 2000

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Website activity in 2008
Moderator/IT Power staff and visitor expert
searches excluded from counters
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Immunization news

• Latest News culled from a wide range of
• Journals
• Websites
• News reports
• Updated every fortnight

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Event Calendar

• Searchable calendar of events, conferences and
  workshops
• A combination of subscriber submissions and
  moderator finds

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Expert Database

• Searchable database of experts
• Register as an expert

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Tools and resources

• Reference documents/books/research papers
• Offers a comprehensive library that includes
  both published and unpublished material, listed
  under the specific organizations EPI summaries
  books research papers.
• Job Announcements
• Can post a job or view latest list of jobs
  available
• Tools
• CCEM, Immunization acronyms, Dictionary of
  immunization terms, Vaccine Calculator

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Online Forums

• Exchange of knowledge, stimulate discussion,
  innovative thinking for addressing problems
• Keep members updated

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Links

• Links to all important immunization information
  sites--WHO, UNICEF, GAVI, PATH, Immunization
  Basics, etc
• Links to major Journals, Newsletters, and
  Publications

Links
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Coming in 2009

• Live Peer-to-Peer Discussion Group mailing list
• A weekly digest Newsletter from the moderator
• Expert Blogs on focused immunization topics
• Searchable article database (Author, subject,
  date, keyword)
• Product/Equipment database and user-to-manufacture
  r platform for dialogue

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Subscribe!

• Email technet21e_at_technet21.org or
  moderator_at_technet21.org.
• Or register through the Technet21 website
  http//technet21.org/

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And Invite Others!
http//www.technet21.org/invitefriends.php
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A few questions

• What are the content areas that did not get
  reflected on the forum?
• Are subscription and participation rates good
  indicators of the success of the forum?
• What could be the other indicators?
• How can information placed on the forum be
  disseminated further down the line?