PA-259 Overcoming challenges in vaccination campaign during COVID-19: lessons learned from the TyVEGHA study

• Published in: BMJ global health 2023-12, Vol.8 (Suppl 10), p.A54-A54
• Main Authors: Owusu-Ansah, Michael, Safowaa, Adwoa, Aguna, Isaac, Twumasi-Ankrah, Sampson, Owusu, Michael, Opoku-Agyapong, Francis, Adu-Sarkodie, Yaw, Buabeng, Kwame Ohene, Owusu-Dabo, Ellis
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abstracts of Poster and e-Poster Presentations; Communication; COVID-19 vaccines; Immunization; Typhoid
• ISSN: 2059-7908
• DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2023-EDC.132

BackgroundConducting vaccine studies in resource-poor settings comes with challenges. These challenges could include lack of infrastructure for cold chain management, accessibility of vaccination centres, the community’s behaviour towards researchers, and political interference. In a pandemic situation e.g., during the Covid-19 peak, overcoming these barriers was difficult. To ensure more than 80% coverage during the field implementation of a Typhoid Conjugate vaccine (TCV) Trial in Ghana (TyVEGHA), we developed strategies to overcome these challenges. MethodsThe study team identified the strength and weaknesses of the community and established a community advisory committee to help guide the conduct of the trial. This committee included chiefs and prominent members of the community, religious leaders, local health administrators, and community activists many of whom were employed as field workers. Communication was done in many forms, i.e., through the local media, fieldworkers moving from home to home, using communication vans at the marketplaces, and mounting platforms of religious groups. Five satellite sites were identified and integrated into the strategy for the primary campaign. Personnel from these sites were recruited, and sheds were built for the study to bring the vaccination closer to hard-to-reach communities. Vaccines were deployed daily from the main trial centre in cool boxes with thermometers and additional cooling elements. Small community durbars with queen mothers as ambassadors led the discussion on the importance of the typhoid vaccine and the need for participation in the study.ResultsWith support from the community an average of 500 children were screened daily. 20,052 (87.2% of eligible children) were vaccinated, with less than 10% of those screened, hesitant to receive the vaccine. No major vaccine related issues occurred during primary vaccination.ConclusionGood communication strategies and community participation with a sense of community ownership was the primary force for the successful vaccination campaign. Funding: EDCTP