Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted global health systems, causing a dramatic setback in routine immunization coverage worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, an estimated 25 million children missed routine vaccinations in 2021, marking the highest number in nearly two decades. As we move forward, recovering from this setback requires a concerted effort to intensify routine immunization services and build resilience within immunization systems to withstand future pandemics.
Learning from Exemplary Countries
In the face of these challenges, several countries have demonstrated exemplary performance in restoring and strengthening their immunization programs. This blog draws insights from the research article titled "Recovering from the Unprecedented Backsliding in Immunization Coverage: Learnings from Country Programming in Five Countries through the Past Two Years of COVID-19 Pandemic Disruptions." It highlights strategies from Cambodia, Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda that have successfully maintained or increased their immunization coverage levels.
Key Strategies for Improvement
- Intensified Catch-up Activities: Countries like Cambodia and Uganda conducted multiple rounds of catch-up activities to reach high-risk communities. This included targeted outreaches and periodic intensification of routine immunization activities, ensuring that missed populations were covered.
- Strengthening Health Information Systems: By enhancing data management and review capacities, countries like Kenya and Cameroon were able to use routine immunization data for better planning and decision-making. This systemic approach allowed for rapid identification and prioritization of underserved communities.
- Integrating Routine Immunization with COVID-19 Efforts: Many countries found synergies between routine immunization and COVID-19 vaccination roll-outs. For instance, Cambodia integrated routine immunization into COVID-19 outreach strategies, targeting hard-to-reach communities.
- Mobilizing Resources: Early interventions and clear directives from governments, as seen in Nigeria, helped minimize service delivery disruptions. Engaging non-traditional health stakeholders also played a crucial role in mobilizing additional resources.
- Building Resilient Health Systems: Countries are investing in systems that enable multisectoral collaboration and community participation. For example, Uganda is adapting routine immunization for the use of Smart Paper Technology to improve tracking and coverage.
Encouraging Further Research and Implementation
Practitioners in the field of immunization can benefit from these insights by implementing similar strategies in their contexts. Further research and collaboration are encouraged to adapt these learnings to local needs and challenges. By doing so, we can work towards achieving the goals of the Immunization Agenda 2030, ensuring that vaccinations are available for everyone, everywhere by 2030.
To read the original research paper, please follow this link: Recovering from the Unprecedented Backsliding in Immunization Coverage: Learnings from Country Programming in Five Countries through the Past Two Years of COVID-19 Pandemic Disruptions.
