COVID-19 Listening & Learning Series

This episode shares reflections on the lessons from the pandemic response in West Africa. During the episode, World Health Organization (WHO) Officers share the ways in which countries are learning, embracing new strategies and pivoting to be able to be effective in ensuring widespread vaccination for COVID-19.

With special guests:

Edinam Davids Oyedepo, Vaccine Safety and Quality Officer, WHO/AFRO and Hilaire Dadjo, Communications Officer, WHO/IST West Africa

Hosted by:

Mwihaki Muraguri, Paukwa House

As COVID-19 vaccine introduction progresses around the world, achieving equitable vaccine distribution at the local level is paramount. In this episode we hear from two health workers in Lesotho and Uganda, respectively, working on the frontline of vaccine delivery. Listen to this episode to hear the nurses speak about their experiences around delivering vaccines in countries facing supply chain constraints and vaccine hesitancy, while bringing to the forefront, challenges that health workers face in making choices about vaccine delivery and the creative ideas needed to solve them.

Hosted by:

Nqobizitha Ndlovu, Regional Director and Leadership Advisor, Adaptive Change Advisors

This episode spotlights how Right to Care, a non-profit organization that supports and delivers prevention, care, and treatment services for HIV and associated diseases, has used a government-developed electronic system to support site level distribution of COVID-19 vaccines in South Africa. South Africa’s Electronic Vaccination Data System (EVDS) manages inventory control, distribution equity and vaccination volumes. The use of the EVDS has greatly reduced stockouts and wastage, which have been an ongoing challenge for countries that have limited vaccine supply but high demand.

Hosted by: Nqobizitha Ndlovu, Regional Director and Leadership Advisor, Adaptive Change Advisors

This episode features an interview with Ann Lindstrand the Unit Head for the Essential Programme on Immunization at the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva. Dr Lindstrand answers specific questions from the Boost Community around vaccine efficacy, hesitancy and equity especially as they pertain to COVID-19 mRNA vaccines and provides insights to how WHO is supporting the global rollout.

This episode shares lessons from the Sisonke Study a phase 3B open label study that provided pre-emergency use access to the Johnson and Johnson vaccine to health workers in South Africa. Researchers share the scientific, regulatory and ethical considerations that were needed to move rapidly from a clinical trial setup to active vaccination sites.

Interviewer: Nqobizitha Ndlovu, Regional Director and Leadership Advisor, Adaptive Change Advisors

This first episode dives into the practical, the tactical and the technical aspects of setting up and implementing mass vaccination sites. With insights from frontline vaccine delivery team Curative and the World Health Organization (WHO), we offer insights to prepare frontline healthcare workers to ensure timely and efficient delivery of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines.

Interviewer: Mwihaki Muraguri, Paukwa House

With the ongoing global introduction of COVID-19 vaccines, immunization professionals face enormous challenges related to vaccine delivery, including identification and prioritization of target populations, effective supply chain management and rapid, sufficient uptake of vaccination. The Sabin Vaccine Institute’s Boost Community is excited to announce the launch of its COVID-19 Listening and Learning Series podcast, which will provide a platform for immunization professionals as well as others involved in COVID-19 vaccine delivery to share their perspectives on vaccine introduction with particular emphasis on transferable lessons learned.