10 FOCUS
The HEALTH | March-April. 2026
Modernising vaccine tracking
LASTING IMPACT: The collaboration between
WHO and the Sabah State Health Department strengthens Sabah’ s immunisation systems beyond a single campaign
• Enhanced digital tracking ensures migrant and undocumented children are not missed and improves follow-up.
• WHO coordinated procurement, ensured policy compliance and facilitated timely delivery, supporting sustainable health system strengthening.
• This initiative focuses on reaching every child, advancing equity and strengthening Sabah’ s immunisation systems for the future.
AS Sabah continues to reach every child with lifesaving vaccines, strong and reliable data systems remain critical to ensuring no one is left behind. According to the World Health Organisation( WHO) report, reliable immunisation data help protect children in migrant and undocumented communities and reduce the risk of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases across Sabah State and the country.
The WHO Representative Office for Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore, through the implementation of the Measles and Rubella immunisation project, collaborated with the Sabah State Health Department to strengthen immunisation data management in the State by providing essential IT equipment.
This support was designed to enable realtime data collection by field health staff and to strengthen longerterm immunisation data systems beyond the project period.
IT equipment, including 63 desktops and 15 laptops, along with software support and antiviral packages, was provided to districts
" To track better, follow up and protect every child, including those who are often the hardest to reach."
- Dr Rabindra Abeyasinghe
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER: Dr Rabindra Abeyasinghe, WHO Representative to Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam and Singapore, presents essential IT equipment to Dr William Gotulis, Director of the Sabah State Health Department, to strengthen realtime immunisation data systems
involved in the MR vaccination programme in Sabah. WHO played a key role in coordinating and overseeing the procurement process, working with approved suppliers, ensuring compliance with WHO procurement policies and facilitating the timely delivery of the equipment.
WHO Representative to Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore, Dr Rabindra Abeyasinghe, said:“ Robust data systems form the foundation of strong immunisation programmes and equip health workers with timely information to continue their important work on the ground.”
“ By strengthening realtime data management through investments in MYVAS, we are supporting primary care health teams in Sabah to track better, follow up and protect every child, including those who are often the hardest to reach.”
ENABLING REALTIME DATA
The IT equipment significantly strengthened real-time data management for the immunisation programme in Sabah. With access to laptops, desktops, connectivity tools, and essential software, vaccination teams were able to record, verify, and upload immunisation data promptly, even in remote settings with variable network access.
This led to improvements in the accuracy, timeliness and completeness of immunisation records across all eight participating districts. More importantly, the strengthened digital tools enabled district health teams to monitor outreach sessions more effectively, identify children who had missed doses earlier, and improve follow-up mechanisms for migrant and undocumented populations.
Sabah State Health Department’ s Public Health Medicine Consultant Dr Suhaila Osman said:“ By strengthening Sabah’ s immunisation systems with WHO, we are safeguarding today’ s children and future generations.”
BUILDING CAPACITY BEYOND THE PROJECT
While the equipment directly supported the MR vaccination programme, its impact extends beyond a single campaign. The strengthened digital infrastructure now supports the Sabah State Health Department’ s broader immunisation data management capacity and helps to track newborns and children in line with Malaysia’ s National Immunisation Schedule.
By reinforcing systems that enable health teams to identify, reach, and continue vaccinating previously unreached children, this digital support contributes to more resilient immunisation services in Sabah and supports sustained efforts to protect every child from vaccine-preventable diseases.- The HEALTH