The University of Debrecen in Hungary is working with WHO to expand its medical curricula to ensure that current and future health professionals are trained and confident in communicating about vaccines to patients and caregivers.
Research in several countries of the WHO European Region shows that health professionals are the most trusted source of information about immunization and therefore key to ensuring high uptake of all recommended vaccine doses. While trained in the technical aspects of vaccine development, safety and effectiveness, health professionals are typically not equipped with strategies to effectively communicate this information, especially to people who have specific concerns or are hesitant to vaccinate.
As of the 2025–2026 academic year, the medical curriculum at the University of Debrecen includes a new elective course on vaccine communication. “We are proud to offer this training to ensure that future medical professionals are confident and effective in addressing public concerns about vaccines and other vital topics,” said Professor János Sándor.
Maintaining high immunization coverage
As part of a project funded by the European Union (EU) to address immunization inequities among vulnerable populations in several countries, WHO has been supporting Hungary in its efforts to encourage high vaccination uptake, including through equitable access to information and immunization services. With a focus on strengthening health workers’ communication about vaccines, WHO has collaborated with University of Debrecen to:
- assess its existing medical curricula;
- adapt WHO training materials to the local context in support of curriculum development; and
- identify key competencies needed for health professionals to effectively respond to parents and caregivers’ questions and determine how they should be integrated into pre- and in-service curricula.
“Our collaboration, with support from the EU, will have a long-term, sustainable impact on public health,” said Dr Brett Craig, Technical Officer in the Vaccine-preventable Diseases and Immunization programme at WHO/Europe. “It’s about investing in the people who matter most for vaccine confidence – the health professionals who speak with families – and ensuring that they have the skills and support to guide informed decisions and protect the health of communities across Hungary.”
With support from WHO within the framework of the EU-funded project, the University of Debrecen will explore opportunities to collaborate on vaccine communication curricula with other universities in Hungary and across the EU.
A strategic partnership has also been established with the Association of Hungarian Primary Care Paediatricians, whose annual congress in May 2025 included a WHO training workshop on vaccine communication for paediatricians and other health-care professionals.
Opportunities for cross-country collaboration
WHO will continue to facilitate collaboration among universities, encouraging broader adoption and strategic adaptation of WHO training materials. The process of integrating vaccine communication into medical curricula and lessons learned from the first year of implementation in Hungary will be shared with other interested countries to ensure that they also benefit from the initiatives adopted in Hungary.