Schools targeted on first days of the campaign

SCHOOLS, YOUNG BOYS AND YOUNG GIRLS FIRST! The message was clear enough for all vaccinators and supervisors. This had been one of the key recommendations made by WHO Officers supporting the campaign with Mr Stanley Diamenu in Upper West Region, Dr Vincent Ahove in Upper East Region and Dr Pierre Bwale, MenA Consultant based at Tamalé, the Capital City of Northern Region.

In effect, vaccinations sites had been established in all those areas. Young vaccinators made up of males and females wearing their yellow aprons were ready for the service.

Syringes, vaccines, diluent, adrenaline to cope with eventual severe adverse events following immunization (AEFI): every needed item was in place. And while some would reconstitute the vaccine and inject the patients, others would keep a tally of all people vaccinated. Someone else was sometimes available to discipline the crowd and get everything in order.

In the Northern region, at the Tamalé Girls Senior High School (which totals 1163 students), we thus met enthusiastic groups entering 10 by 10 for the injection. They were informed of the campaign and ready to be vaccinated. Same attitude observed on day 1 at the Vitting Secondary technical School, at the Dabokpa Technical Insititute and St Charles Minor Seminary High School, all areas of Northern region.

At the debriefing session that was held in the evening by districts, all supervisors exchanged their views and how corrective measures could be applied where needed. There was confirmation of no severe AEFIs reported nowhere accross Tamalé 1 and Tamalé 2 on day 1 in Northern region.

It was advised that foams should be made available along with the vaccine carriers. Also, vaccinators should be sensitized on reporting on vaccination cards the right reference of the batch of vaccines and diluents, which is not systemically the same for all places.

However, on the whole, it was agreed that the first days of the campaign for all regions was very sucessful. As of Day 2, Northern Region reported 481,175 people vaccinated, with 26,2% of coverage while Upper West Region recorded 18,938 vaccinated with a coverage of 32%.

Schools targeted on first days of the campaign [pdf: 211.44 kB]

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