Volume 28, Supplement—December 2022
SUPPLEMENT ISSUE
Clinical
Leveraging Lessons Learned from Yellow Fever and Polio Immunization Campaigns during COVID-19 Pandemic, Ghana, 2021
Kwame Amponsa-Achiano, Joseph Asamoah Frimpong
, Danielle Barradas, Delia Akosua Bandoh, and Ernest Kenu
, Danielle Barradas, Delia Akosua Bandoh, and Ernest Kenu
Table 1
Lessons learned during yellow fever and polio immunization campaign that informed the COVID-19 National Vaccine Deployment Plan, Ghana, September 4, 2019–November 18, 2020*
| NVDP component | Lessons learned during yellow fever and polio immunization campaigns |
|---|---|
| Planning and coordination |
Activate or establish an Incident Management System for coordinating the vaccination response |
| Regulatory preparedness and safety monitoring |
Liaise early with the Ghana (or any country) FDA to ensure the evaluation and approval of vaccines before deployment and the monitoring of adverse events following immunization |
| Vaccination strategies |
Develop detailed and accurate microplans inclusive of strategies for hard-to-reach areas. |
| Deployment systems and modalities |
Identify resources early for surge deployment of human resources and logistics for vaccination activities and campaigns; deploy Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program alumni and residents as surge staff |
| Immunization monitoring system |
Establish sites and deploy field officers for safety monitoring and reporting |
| Operational research and surveillance |
Conduct surveys to assess the knowledge, attitudes, practices, and behaviors of the target population toward vaccine acceptance at predefined time points |
| Communication and information |
Use media scanning to understand the drivers of vaccine hesitancy and acceptance among various subpopulations. Use mass media, celebrities as ambassadors, and communication centers to increase vaccine demand and reduce hesitancy. For hard-to-reach areas, community leaders and opinion leaders were used to lead communications to address vaccine hesitancy |
| Supply chain processes |
Improve cold chain capacity (a system to maintain a desired temperature for viability of vaccines in the supply chain) before there is an outbreak or epidemic; adopt and use a standardized process for vaccine accountability and retrieval |
| Waste management |
Use incinerators to destroy waste generated by vaccination under supervision. |
| Monitoring and evaluation | Deploy field monitors at regional, district, and subdistrict level to provide real-time feedback, using the Open Data Kit for immediate action. Ensure that every vial is accounted for daily. After every campaign, a monitoring team consisting of Ghana FDA, Environmental Protection Agency, WHO, and UNICEF officials should oversee the incineration of empty vials by region and certify that all vials have been accounted for. The Vaccine Accountability Monitoring officers should undergo formal training to ensure accuracy |
*FDA, Food and Drug Authority; NVDP, National Vaccine Deployment Plan; WHO, World Health Organization.
Page created: October 05, 2022
Page updated: December 11, 2022
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