Analysis of Vaccine Distribution and Implementation in North Maluku

Barriers to uptake of vaccination among communities in the city of Kigali, 2025.

INTRODUCTION Immunization is a fundamental health component preventing an estimated 2.5 million deaths annually. Despite the documented successes of immunization, disparities of vaccine uptake exist in low- and middle-income countries and across their respective communities. This research assessed the barriers related to recall-based vaccination uptake among communities in Kigali city, the capital of Rwanda. METHODS A mixed-methods study was implemented on a sample of 210 households and communities across the three districts of the City of Kigali. The quantitative study used a multistage sampling technique according to the WHO Immunization Coverage Survey to select the households from the districts of Kigali city. While the 3 focus group discussions and 6 interviews were implemented in communities not included in the quantitative survey. A thematic analysis was performed on the qualitative data. The quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS 23 and summarized numerically and graphically. Statistical tests performed for association were Chi-square tests and a binary logistic regression was used to establish the relationship between recall-based vaccine uptake and its associated factors. All statistical tests were considered significant when p < 0.05. RESULTS Quantitative findings of this study reported that all 155 children ≤ 6 years were vaccinated. It also divided the barriers into four main categories: decision barriers, information barriers, accessibility barriers, and challenges in health facilities. A binary logistic regression predicted recall-based vaccine uptake based on 11 explanatory variables. The variables statistically significant were age and household size, with respective p < 0.001, and knowledge of vaccine-preventable diseases with a p-value of 0.038. Qualitatively, FGDs and interviews revealed fear of side effects, denial of vaccination in absence of husbands, long waiting time and poor communication from providers in facilities as factors that discourage attendance for immunization. CONCLUSION Barriers to recall-based categorization of vaccination frequency were mainly health system-related challenges, including insufficient supplies, costs for pregnant women for first-time vaccinations and denial vaccination in the absence of husbands. These findings call upon Rwandan health authorities and partners to address predictors of vaccination behavior associated with systemic challenges, intentional refusal and enhance immunization service delivery.

Experience in independent monitoring of the polio immunization campaign

Relevance. The article describes the practical experience of participating in the independent monitoring of the fifth round of supplementary immunization against poliomyelitis in October 2010 in the Republic of Tajikistan, where the largest outbreak in the WHO European Region occurred, caused by an imported wild poliovirus type 1 from India. Aim. To summarize the experience of independent monitoring for assessing vaccination coverage, identifying unvaccinated children, and optimizing safety measures in the field. Materials and Methods . The experience of active identification of unvaccinated children in organized groups, at markets, on the streets, in private households, and among the nomadic population using the method of fingernail marking with a black marker is described. The forms of independent assessment of the immunization campaign are presented. Results. An analysis of coverage was conducted, and the reasons for non-vaccination were identified. Over four days of work in this region, we actively interviewed 302 children. In 31 children, there was no vaccination mark; 20 children were unvaccinated. Children who had no vaccination mark were vaccinated on the spot. Also, issues of ensuring the safety of the epidemiologist in the field when traveling to regions with an elevated level of danger were considered. Conclusion. The marking method allows for objective assessment of coverage and avoids the use of paper documentation among the nomadic population. A timely responsive vaccination campaign can contain a large-scale outbreak, but the ultimate global eradication of poliomyelitis requires the resolution of political and social issues.

Effectiveness of influenza vaccination in the elderly in South Africa

Breaking the chain of transmission: Immunisation and outbreak investigation

Classification of scenarios based on the determinants of childhood vaccination coverage in Brazil

Multiple socioeconomic, structural and operational factors were associated with unvaccinated rates, highlighting the relevance of healthcare service organization even in favorable social contexts and classifying municipalities into risk profiles may help guide interventions to improve coverage.

Acceptability of the RTS, S malaria vaccine and associated factors among caregivers‌ of children⁠ under 25 months‍ in Soa⁠ Health District, Cameroon: a community-based cross-sectional st⁠udy‍

Malaria remains a major cause of morbidity an‌d mortality in sub-Saharan Afri‌ca. I‌n C‌ameroon, malaria accounts for 48% of all hospital admissions, 30% of morbidity, and 67% of childhood mortality per year. Despite the introduction of RTS, S in‍ several African countries, real-world evidence on community acceptability following vaccine rollout remains limited, particularly at the district level. Understanding caregivers’ willingness to vaccinate is critical for optimizing uptake and‌ guiding context-specific implementation strategies. A community-‍bas‌ed cross-sectional st⁠ud‌y was conducted between March and November 2024 in th‌e S⁠oa Hea‍lth District (HD).‍ A total of 5‍41 caregi⁠vers of children unde‍r‍ 25 mon‍ths w‌ere‍ recruited using a non-pro‌b‌ability con‍venience sam⁠pling method. Data were collected using a s‍tr‍uctured pre-tested q⁠uestionnaire and analysed using R s‍oftware. Modified Poisson reg‍ression mod‍els with robust variance esti‍mation was used to obtain crude and adjuste‍d prev⁠alence‌ ratio (CPR and APR) with‍ 9⁠5% conf‍idence interval⁠s (95% CI‍s), a statistical significance was set at p-value < 0.05. Among the 541 caregi⁠vers, 73.4% expressed willingness to v‌accinate their children against malari‍a. Higher vaccine acceptability was independently associated with residing in Kou‌lou (AP⁠R =⁠ 1.4; 95% CI: 1.1–2.0), Ngali 2 (⁠APR = 1⁠0.6; 95% CI: 1.‍2–2.2), and So⁠a‌ (APR = 1.6; 95‍% CI‍: 1.1–2.2) compared with Nts‍ouesso⁠ng; female sex (APR = 1.2; 95% CI: 1‍.‌0–‌1.3); origine from the North-West, Sou‍th-W‍est‍, West, and Littoral regions (A⁠PR = 1.2; 95% CI: 1.‌1‍–‌1.4); use‍ s‍tr‌eet medicine (APR = 1.3; 95% CI: 1.0–1.6) or prescribed medicin‌e (APR = 1⁠0.2; 95% CI: 1⁠0.0–1.5) rather than tra‍d‍it⁠ional med‍i‍cine‍ for malaria treatment; pr⁠ior awareness of the malaria vac‍cine (APR = 1.2‍; 95%‌ CI: 1.1–1.4)⁠. All p < 0.05. Acce⁠ptabi‌lity of the malaria va‌ccine among caregivers in the Soa HD was relativel‍y high and was significantly influenced by geographic location, sex,‍ region, health-seeking behaviour, and awareness of the⁠ vaccine.‌ Targeted health e‌duc‍ati‍on and cul‌turally sensitive community engagement strategies‍ are‍ essential to improve vac⁠cine acceptability and su⁠pp⁠ort‌ the successf‌u‍l s‍cale‍-up of⁠ ma‍lari‌a vaccination programmes in Cameroon and other endemic se‌ttings. Not applicable.