PhD Completion Seminar - Andrea Timothy VIRGo

Khusela Immunisation Study:

Strengthening clinic level immunisation service delivery in Western Cape Province,

South Africa

ABSTRACT

Since implementation in 1974, the South African Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) has had considerable impact on vaccine-preventable-diseases (VPDs). However, as in many low and middle-income countries, optimal vaccine coverage and immunisation program service delivery in South Africa remains an ongoing challenge with intermittent outbreaks of VPDs occurring.

We developed an adaptable and flexible approach that assessed EPI vaccine delivery and identified barriers to immunisation service delivery at the clinic level in the Western Cape Province, South Africa which aimed to reflect the reality of the immunisation service providers, community care workers and parents’/guardians’ views and experiences.

Following this assessment, strategies were developed and implemented collaboratively with key stakeholders and clinic staff that targeted identified barriers. These strategies were driven by the clinic staff with the intention that interventions were feasible and exclusively tailored to the needs of clinic providers and parents. The ultimate goal was to strengthen immunisation service delivery and improve vaccine uptake for children under two years at the clinic level in a specified region in the Western Cape.

Principal supervisor:  Professor Margie Danchin

Co supervisors:

Associate Professor David Coetzee, Professor Ross Bailie, Professor Margaret Kelaher