Rational for Campaign

Outbreak of novel Corona virus Infection on the 7th January 2020 in Wuhan city, Hubei Province in China following a series of reported cases of pneumonia of unknown cause in December 2019 has caused a a lot of havoc globally. The ongoing viral epidemic has affecting mainland China, along with isolated cases in over 150 other countries and territories.

Outbreak was initially linked to a local animal market in Wuhan city, of Hubei Province of China. Person to person spread now confirmed and sustained.

Disease is characterized by fever, cough, difficulty in breathing, sore throat etc.

Covid-19 was declared as Public health of International Concern (PHEIC) on 30th January, 2020 and has now been declared a Pandemic by the WHO on 11th March 2020.

Ghana recorded its index case on the 12th March 2020 and Amansie Central District also recorded its first case on the 13th May 2020. The district continue to do everything possible to break the chain of transmission and to prevent further spread through recommended vaccination exercises by Ghana Health Service and the Ministry of Health.

Despite all these efforts vaccine hesitancy and outright refusals posed a challenge: among critical population groups, community influencers, professional groups, segments of the general population hence the need for the Covid-19 mass vaccination days (NaCVaDs) Campaign.

Objectives of the campaign

1. To Mobilize all sectors, stakeholders, partners and communities in a concerted effort towards achieving the national vaccination target
2. Implement revised and communication strategies to increase acceptance and uptake of the vaccines.

Whiles many of them has received only one dose of vaccines, there are others who have received at least a single dose, others two doses: and have been fully vaccinated but yet to receive their booster dose.

Hesitancy and outright refusals posed a challenge: among critical population groups, community influencers, professional groups, segments of the general population hence the need for the Covid-19 mass vaccination days (NaCVaDs) Campaign.

The District used diverse means to create awareness and got all stakeholders of the exercise on board, District Assembly members as well as the District Health Management Team were debriefed on the 16^th January 2023 of the various strategies and social mobilization plans to reach all target groups including the hard-to-reach areas (HTRAs). Among these HTRAs like Mamponbuom , Pentenpena , Aworoso Miawani Abohyenso , Kodadwene etc. whose accessibility ranged from bad road network, bushy areas, hilly and crossing of big rivers to be able to deliver any health related services. Motorbikes and canoe were used where applicable and local volunteers were also recruited.

On 13^th-16^th January 2023, letters were distributed to Assembly men and church leaders, mosques with detailed information on the exercise. Risk communication of all forms had been used in sensitization of other stakeholders, Community Health Management Committees (CHMCs), organised groups e.g. market women, dress makers, hairdressers, usage of community information centres (CICs), and gong-gong beating.  Van announcement were also done alongside Radio talk and discussions at Dompeace Radio to create awareness and clear all myths surrounding the exercise in order to increase uptake for the success of the exercise.

Health staffs including Community Health Nurses (CHNs) were invited for a one-day orientation at the Health Directorate on the 19^th January 2023 to equip them with the requisite skill and knowledge in order to carry out a successful programme. Participants were taken through some of the major achievements of routine vaccination as well as the impact of Covid-19 vaccination, the revised vaccination policies which now allows pregnant women to be eligible to receive Pfizer or Moderna vaccine and the significance of booster dose for targeted groups like the aged, people with co-morbidities, healthcare workers, security personnels etc.

The district had a target to vaccinate 2686 within the stipulated 5 days. Nine (9) teams, each comprising of three members with vaccinators and volunteers were distributed across all the five Sub-districts deployed strategies to reach every one: static, mobile, house-to-house visits, to vaccinate all eligible personnels in the campaign.  The campaign targeted all people who were yet to receive a vaccine, those who had received at least one dose of the vaccine and needed to take their second dose those who were fully vaccinated and needed to take their booster dose including pregnant women and students.

District level supervisors went round using ODK monitoring app and ensured that logistics including vaccines were available and accessible to all teams and also if they were being administered in their potent state. They also ensured all data concerning the vaccination exercise were duly documented and entered using the DHIS app for reporting within the period.

Moreover, district level supervisors monitored the exercise for any adverse event following immunization (AEFI) so it could quickly be addressed. Facility in-charges had been informed to take care of any victim at no cost for a smooth implementation of the exercise.

The District had emergency operation committee members in place comprising of the District Director of Health Services, District Disease Control Officer, EPI Coordinator as well as the Health Promotion officer; who reviewed the vaccination campaign activities and validate all reports daily before reporting to the next level.

Amansie Central District Covid-19 Vaccination 20^th to 24^th January 2023.

The district had vaccinated 2825 people between 20^th January 2023 to 24^th January 2023; thus a coverage of 105.17%.

Challenges

The vaccination team had a lot of challenges and notable ones were

• Inadequate data entry officers which made data entry very difficult.
• Late reimbursement of Covid-19 funds,
• Inadequate health staff

Despite all these challenges, the teams worked diligently through diverse means throughout the period to reach and vaccinate the eligible groups.

Best Practices

• Team work.

District officers actively partook the exercise moving together with team to get the exercise done.

• House to House approach- Teams used diverse strategies to reach the populace by embarking on house- to-house which includes evening periods when clients have all come home from the day’s work.

Way forward

The District seek to engage all stakeholders in the District to help embrace the Covid-19 vaccination exercise to boost uptake of the vaccines in the continuous vaccination.

It also seeks to empower all health staff in the district with the knowledge and requisite skill in the quest to fight Covid-19 through the various preventive protocols and vaccination.