Organization of immunization services for public health

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yauba Saidu
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Burden Of Disease ◽  
Disease Surveillance ◽  
Public Health Intervention ◽  
Vaccine Uptake ◽  
Cold Chain ◽  
Vaccination Program ◽  
Immunization Service ◽  
Immunization Services

Immunization is a key public health intervention that can help nations attain Goal #3 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals as vaccines already prevent about 2–3 million deaths each year. To be effective, immunization services must be designed and delivered in a way to reach populations who need them, irrespective of who they are and where they live. Effective national immunization systems must have clear plans based on a vision of the future and a step-by-step process on how the vision will be translated into reality. Such plans are structured around eight topics that go beyond vaccine licensure and recommendations, including management, financing, logistics, human resources, service delivery, vaccine supply and quality, disease surveillance, advocacy and communication. The cold chain system is the backbone of any immunization program and consists of a network of equipment, material, people, processes, and financial resources that enable safe transportation of vaccines from the factory to the point of administration to the patient. Immunization service delivery includes any strategies and activities for delivering immunization service to a target population. Introduction of a new vaccine in a country program requires coordinated decision-making, considering the burden of disease, the characteristics of the respective vaccine and the capacity of the immunization system to deliver it. Adverse Events Following Immunization is another key component as documentation of vaccine safety is crucial for trust in a vaccination program. Scientifically valid and timely burden-of-disease surveillance as well as vaccine uptake data are core functions of any vaccination program and needed for information of the public and for timely actions.

Optimal public health intervention in a behavioural vaccination model: the interplay between seasonality, behaviour and latency period

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 297-324
Author(s):  
Bruno Buonomo ◽  
Rossella Della Marca ◽  
Alberto d’Onofrio
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Side Effects ◽  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Transmission Rate ◽  
Minimum Principle ◽  
Public Health Intervention ◽  
Latency Period ◽  
Vaccine Uptake ◽  
Optimal Time ◽  
The Impact

AbstractHesitancy and refusal of vaccines preventing childhood diseases are spreading due to ‘pseudo-rational’ behaviours: parents overweigh real and imaginary side effects of vaccines. Nonetheless, the ‘Public Health System’ (PHS) may enact public campaigns to favour vaccine uptake. To determine the optimal time profiles for such campaigns, we apply the optimal control theory to an extension of the susceptible-infectious-removed (SIR)-based behavioural vaccination model by d’Onofrio et al. (2012, PLoS ONE, 7, e45653). The new model is of susceptible-exposed-infectious-removed (SEIR) type under seasonal fluctuations of the transmission rate. Our objective is to minimize the total costs of the disease: the disease burden, the vaccination costs and a less usual cost: the economic burden to enact the PHS campaigns. We apply the Pontryagin minimum principle and numerically explore the impact of seasonality, human behaviour and latency rate on the control and spread of the target disease. We focus on two noteworthy case studies: the low (resp. intermediate) relative perceived risk of vaccine side effects and relatively low (resp. very low) speed of imitation. One general result is that seasonality may produce a remarkable impact on PHS campaigns aimed at controlling, via an increase of the vaccination uptake, the spread of a target infectious disease. In particular, a higher amplitude of the seasonal variation produces a higher effort and this, in turn, beneficially impacts the induced vaccine uptake since the larger is the strength of seasonality, the longer the vaccine propensity remains large. However, such increased effort is not able to fully compensate the action of seasonality on the prevalence.

scholarly journals Geospatial Analyses of Thyroid Cancer Incidence in Kelantan, Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Thyroid Cancer ◽  
Disease Surveillance ◽  
Public Health Intervention ◽  
Public Hospitals ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
P Value ◽  
Geographical Access ◽  
Effective Form

Geographical Information System (GIS) has been widely used in evaluating health data. GIS-based disease mapping can act as a tool for an effective form of communication in public health and planning disease surveillance strategies. Yet, there is limited data on spatial distribution of cancer in Malaysia. In the present study, GIS was employed to map the thyroid cancer incidences, analyse the spatial distribution of the cases and assess their geographical accessibility to public hospitals. Registries of patients diagnosed with thyroid carcinoma from the year of 2013 to 2020 were retrieved and information regarding the year of diagnosis, age, gender, residential addresses and histological subtypes were obtained. The coordinates of residential addresses and public hospitals were obtained using Global Positioning System (GPS) and the radius of public hospitals were set within and beyond 10 km. Then, all data were inserted into ArcGIS 10.2 software and spatial analysis was performed. A total of 90 cases with thyroid carcinomas were recorded and mapped. The spatial distribution of thyroid cancer cases in Kelantan represented a clustered pattern (NNR: 0.549377, p-value <0.001) with most cases concentrated at northern part of Kelantan. Buffer analysis revealed that most of the cases (60%, 54 cases) were located within 10 km radius from public hospitals and the remaining 36 cases (40%) were situated beyond 10 km radius from public hospitals. In conclusion, thyroid cancer cases in Hospital USM were clustered with most cases concentrated at the northern part of the state. Majority of the cases have a good geographical access to public hospitals. These study findings provide useful information for health practitioners in planning public health intervention by targeting locations with poor geographical access to health facilities in order to improve overall health population in Kelantan.

scholarly journals Challenges faced by professional nurses when implementing the Expanded Programme on Immunisation at rural clinics in Capricorn District, Limpopo

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tebogo M. Mothiba ◽  
Flora M. Tladi
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Primary Healthcare ◽  
Public Health Intervention ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Limpopo Province ◽  
Cold Chain ◽  
Department Of Health ◽  
Professional Nurses ◽  
Rural Clinics ◽  
Health Burdens

Background: Immunisation is the cornerstone of primary healthcare. Apart from the provision of safe water, immunisation remains the most cost-effective public health intervention currently available. Immunisation prevents infectious conditions that are debilitating, fatal and have the potential to cause huge public health burdens, both financially and socially, in South Africa.Aim: To determine the challenges faced by professional nurses when implementing the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) at rural clinics in Capricorn District, Limpopo Province, South Africa.Setting: The study was conducted in selected primary healthcare clinics of Capricorn District, Limpopo Province.Methods: A qualitative explorative descriptive contextual research design was used to gather data related to the challenges faced by professional nurses when implementing EPI at rural clinics in Capricorn District.Results: The findings revealed that professional nurses had knowledge of the programme, but that they experienced several challenges during implementation of EPI that included staff shortages and problems related to maintenance of the vaccines’ potency.Conclusions: The Department of Health as well as the nursing administration should monitor policies and guidelines, and especially maintenance of a cold chain for vaccines, to ensure that they are practised throughout Limpopo Province. The problem of staff shortages also needs to be addressed so that the EPI can achieve its targeted objectives.Keywords: Professional nurse, knowledge, EPI-SA, immunisation

scholarly journals New eyes: improving Europe’s infectious disease surveillance

2007 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 1-2
Author(s):  
D O’Flanagan
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Disease Surveillance ◽  
Public Health Intervention ◽  
Health Intervention ◽  
Sufficient Information ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Infectious Disease Surveillance ◽  
Microbiological Data

This edition of Eurosurveillance contains reports of infectious disease surveillance systems from all corners of Europe. In some instances, routinely collected notifiable data coupled with microbiological data can provide sufficient information to allow appropriate public health intervention.

scholarly journals Determinants of Poor Utilization and Accessibility of Immunization Services: A Qualitative Study in Selected Counties in South Sudan

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 52
Author(s):  
David Majuch Kunjok ◽  
Paulo Okech. Ajak ◽  
Atem Agot Deng ◽  
Atem Nathan Anyuon ◽  
Philip Malong Thiel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Facility ◽  
Phenomenological Study ◽  
South Sudan ◽  
Immunization Coverage ◽  
Drop Out ◽  
Vaccine Uptake ◽  
Cold Chain ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
Vaccine Preventable Diseases ◽  
Immunization Services

BACKGROUND: Reducing vaccine-preventable diseases mortality and morbidity in non-industrialized countries requires the enforcement of robust immunization strategies aimed at increasing coverage and reducing dropouts and missed immunization opportunities. Attaining high (&gt;80%) immunization coverage with a low drop-out rate in South Sudan has been challenging because of the program&rsquo;s high defaulting rates. This study aimed to determine the reasons for poor accessibility and utilization of immunization services in counties earmarked for Fragility, Emergency and Refugees (FER) in South Sudan. METHODS: A descriptive phenomenological study design was conducted across four counties of Northern Bahr El Ghazal, South Sudan, between May 2019 and December 2020 in which 42 focused group discussions and key-informant interviews involving the community and primary healthcare centers and units were conducted. Relevant EPI (Expanded program on immunization) tools were reviewed and data were analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: The main reasons identified were negative attitudes towards healthcare workers and immunization services, competing priorities of the caregivers, delayed opening of the immunization sessions, insufficient cold chain facilities, inadequate knowledge and information about immunization services, and non-availability of vaccines at the health facility. CONCLUSIONS: A plan to supply adequate vaccines and related supplies to the counties by identifying stock levels in time must be a priority. Health facility micro-plan development and implementation should be supported by increased funding for the implementation of outreach and mobile sessions to reach missed children, intensified door-to-door health awareness, and regular community meetings to increase vaccine uptake.

Assessment of immunization service delivery in Pakistan: A cross-sectional survey of health facilities

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
S Abdullah ◽  
M T Taighoon ◽  
D A Siddiqi ◽  
V K Dharma ◽  
T Khamisani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Service Delivery ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Health Facilities ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Cold Chain ◽  
Immunization Service ◽  
Sindh Province ◽  
Cold Box

Abstract Background Routine childhood immunization coverage in Pakistan remains sub-par, in part, due to the poor quality of service delivery. This study aims to summarize the quality of immunization centers throughout the Sindh province, Pakistan, by assessing all Government vaccination facilities and their associated health workers. Methods A health facility and worker assessment survey adapted from tools developed by BASICS and EPI-Sindh was used to record facility infrastructure, processes, and human resources. Using expert panel ranking, we developed critical criteria to indicate items immunization centers need to be operational (vaccinator, a cold box or refrigerator, and vaccine supplies) as well as high, low, and moderate function requirements and their respective scores. Results Out of 1396 centers assessed, 1236 (88.5%) were operational, while 1209 (86.6%) offered immunization services. Only 793 (66.0%) of the functional immunization facilities met the critical criteria. The average scores for high, moderate, and low function requirements were significantly lower for centers that did not meet the critical criteria. Of 2,153 healthcare workers interviewed, 1874 (87.1%) were vaccinators. 1805 (96.3%), 1655 (88.3%), and 1387 (74.0%) were trained in vaccination, cold chain, and inventory, respectively. Discussion One out of three immunization centers in Sindh lack the critical components essential for quality vaccination services. Health workers have adequate training and experience, suggesting that sub-optimal vaccination center quality is due to inadequate infrastructure and inefficient processes. Our study presents innovative and critical research findings with high-impact policy implications for identifying and addressing gaps to improve vaccination uptake within an LMIC setting. Key messages Every 2 out of 5 facilities in Sindh Province lacked essential equipment for immunizations such as vaccines, vaccinator and cold box for vaccination. In all health facilities, the health workers appear sufficiently trained, indicating that poor quality may be due to missing infrastructure and inefficient processes in resource-constrained settings.

scholarly journals A study on immunization practices amongst private medical practitioners of Bhopal city in central India

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 781
Author(s):  
G. D. Mahra ◽  
Vikaas Pandey ◽  
D. M. Saxena ◽  
Rituja Kaushal
Keyword(s):  
Service Providers ◽  
Central India ◽  
Cold Chain ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Immunization Service ◽  
Medical Practitioners ◽  
Record Keeping ◽  
Immunization Services ◽  
Collaboration And Communication ◽  
Level Of Experience

Background: WHO advocates and highly recommend that National Immunization Programmes (NIPs) should increase collaboration and communication with private providers delivering vaccination services to ameliorate the purpose immunizing beneficiaries efficiently.Methods: It is a cross sectional observational study. It is done to assess immunization practices and other rel-evant aspects amongst private paediatrics practitioners of Bhopal city.Results: After doing appropriate statistical analysis, results revealed that most of the cold chain practices, vaccine administration practices, record keeping and reporting mechanisms were not up to the mark (i.e. p values < 0.05 at 95% confidence interval). However, training and level of experience contributed to improve in certain practice outcomes.Conclusions: Quality of immunization services in private sector could be enhanced by providing training and support to private immunization service providers. 

The Affective Politics of Karma among Buddhist Cancer Charities in Vietnam

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 33-62
Author(s):  
Sara Swenson
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Global Existence ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Public Health Intervention ◽  
Health Intervention ◽  
Moral Failure ◽  
Cancer Rates ◽  
Charity Work

In this article, I explore how Buddhist charity workers in Vietnam interpret rising cancer rates through understandings of karma. Rather than framing cancer as a primarily physical or medical phenomenon, volunteers state that cancer is a product of collective moral failure. Corruption in public food production is both caused by and perpetuates bad karma, which negatively impacts global existence. Conversely, charity work creates merit, which can improve collective karma and benefit all living beings. I argue that through such interpretations of karma, Buddhist volunteers understand their charity at cancer hospitals as an affective and ethical form of public health intervention.

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