For more than 35 years, most national immunization programs have established managerial structures
and processes for delivering vaccination services to their populations. These days, immunization managers
are facing an increasing number of challenges due to the introduction of new vaccines, shifting
demographic patterns, complex networks of service providers, and maintaining the gains achieved with
previous vaccinationefforts. To confrontthese challenges, better programperformance will require better
managerial practices, which incorporates new technologies. To that end, the International Association of
Immunization Managers (IAIM) is the first global professional association launched to promote superior
leadership and management skills among health professionals involved with vaccination efforts worldwide.
From 3 to 4 March 2015, approximately 132 members from 70 countries representing six regions,
gathered in Istanbul, Turkey for the inaugural conference of IAIM. In the two-day program, members
selected thirteen peers to constitute the Governing Council. The 12 articles of the bylaws of the Association
were also ratified. This conference was a forum for sharing managerial best practices through
networking sessions, breakout sessions, and presentations. Members also learned about IAIM sponsored
training opportunities to deepen their managerial competencies through peer-to-peer exchanges and
scholarship training programs. We believe that the IAIM inaugural conference was an appropriate platform
for equipping managers with tools and professional network of peers to support them in achieving
national, regional and global immunization goals, including those of the Global Vaccine Action Plan of
the World Health Organization