Expanded Programme on Immunization

The French Red Cross asked me to propose a strategy and awareness-raising tools on childhood vaccination (Expanded Programme on Immunization, EPI) for AFROVAX, the program to strengthen immunization that it was running in Niger, Guinea and the Comoros with funding from AFD.

We carried out a socio-anthropological survey in Niger to study what the population knew and thought about vaccines in general and EPI vaccines in particular. The findings showed that people knew vaccines, and their side effects, very well and had a very favorable opinion of them. Although trust in health workers is very high, a substantial share of respondents mentioned a poor welcome and long waiting times at vaccination sessions, which helps explain the drop-out rate before the vaccination schedule is completed.

I proposed an awareness-raising strategy and tools based on the findings of this study and on a review of the available publications and reports on vaccination in the three countries. I trained the field workers in all three countries.