Vaccine
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Heterogeneous coverage threatens to compromise the effectiveness of immunization programs in Zambia. Demand-creation initiatives are needed to address this; however, there is incomplete understanding of why vaccine coverage is suboptimal. We investigated overarching perceptions on vaccine acceptability, hesitancy, and accessibility at three informal settlements in Lusaka, Zambia. ⋯ Vaccine hesitancy in Zambia is underpinned by many factors including personal experiences with vaccinations, alternative belief models, limited knowledge, deep misunderstanding about how vaccines work, and barriers to access. To overcome these, community-driven models that incorporate factual communication by professionals and operate outside of traditional hours, may help. Better research to understand community preferences for vaccine uptake could inform interventions to improve immunization coverage in Zambia.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Increasing influenza vaccine uptake in children: A randomised controlled trial.
Influenza vaccine is not included in the Hong Kong Government's universal Childhood Immunisation Programme but eligible children can receive subsidised vaccine through the private sector using the Vaccination Subsidy Scheme (VSS). This study examined whether a simple intervention package can increase influenza vaccine uptake in Hong Kong children. ⋯ A four-component intervention package could improve influenza vaccine uptake in Hong Kong children and their mothers during the first two years of life and depending on vaccine effectiveness could potentially reduce influenza-associated hospital admissions in children below 2 years old by 13-24%.
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The 2016 mid-term review of the Global Measles-Rubella Strategic Plan 2012-20 for achieving measles-rubella elimination concluded that the full potential of strategies and activities to strengthen routine immunization (RI) service delivery had not been met. In December 2017, we contacted WHO and partner agency immunization staff in all six WHO Regions who identified 23 countries working on measles or rubella elimination that have implemented examples of recommended activities to improve RI, adapted to their needs. Among those examples, opportunities to strengthen RI through implementing supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) were reported most frequently, including advocacy for immunization and educational activities targeted at the public and skills training targeted at health professionals. ⋯ Unfortunately, we were unable to obtain information regarding the cost, impact or sustainability of these activities. The evaluation of the many other strategies that have been deployed in recent years to strengthen RI systems and raise vaccination coverage was beyond the scope of this survey. We conclude by providing recommendations to encourage more countries to adapt and implement a comprehensive set of RI-strengthening activities in association with the MR elimination goal.