Key Messages

Improving the Effectiveness of an Integrated Measles and Meningitis A Immunization Campaign

Collaborative planning of an integrated campaign in a context of multiple epidemics

Summary

An exploration of the enablers, barriers and promising practices towards an integrated meningitis A and measles vaccination campaign in Guinea, during a time of multiple epidemics and COVID-19.

Guinea

Kankan region

Immunization

Measles and Meningitis A

  • Leverage a trusted intervention as an integration platform to increase acceptability.
  • Establish procedures that reduce delays in remuneration to health workers.
  • Decentralize decision-making and prioritize local action in areas most at risk of epidemics.
  • Click here for the full list of promising practices.

Key Messages

FOSAD-CEFORPAG in Guinea explains the collaborative planning process, enablers, barriers and promising practices for an integrated campaign of two childhood vaccination campaigns for meningitis A (MenAfrivac, a newly introduced vaccine) and measles (second dose, MEAS2) for children aged 13-24 months in Guinea in an integrated campaign. 

  • Collaborative planning strengthens preparedness and increases the likelihood of success of an integrated campaign, achieves human resources, time, and cost savings, and encourages stakeholder participation.
  • Assessing community acceptability and concerns is a key part of the collaborative planning process.
  • Governments should consider decentralized decision-making during times of competing priorities to allow areas most at risk of epidemics to implement their own campaigns more efficiently.
  • The national government’s support in convening and facilitating collaborative pre-planning and planning is critical to the success of integrated campaigns.
  • Governments should consider decentralized decision-making on integrated campaigns during times of competing priorities to allow regions and districts most at risk of epidemics to implement campaigns more efficiently when national priorities shift.
  • The national government’s support in convening and facilitating collaborative pre-planning and planning is critical to the success of integrated campaigns.
  • Adverse events following immunization (AEFI) are a major concern of caregivers, therefore community sensitization and AEFI response planning are essential to an integrated campaign’s success.
  • Partners can play a key role by providing strategic guidance, funding, planning and operational support for the integrated campaign.
  • Administrative procedures and delays in remuneration to vaccine workers may result in challenges to implementation; therefore, procedures should be adapted to facilitate timely advances and electronic payments.

Decentralized decision-making power would enable local areas to proceed with integrated campaigns in high-risk regions despite shifting national priorities.


TOP