The Geneva Learning Foundation

IMMUNIZATION AGENDA 2030

Join us for the Launch Event of the first Impact Accelerator for Immunization Agenda 2030

We are pleased to inform you that 755 Alumni of the Geneva Learning Foundation’s immunization programme have been selected participate in the first IA2030 Impact Accelerator Launch Pad from 8 November to 3 December 2021.

Join the Movement for Immunization Agenda 2030

https://t.me/IA2030

On Monday 8 November, join us for the first Global Assembly to launch the IA2030 Impact Accelerator.

We will also announce the list of Scholars who have been appointed to the Organizing Committee to build the Movement for Immunization Agenda 2030.

Learn how the Launch pad works:

https://youtu.be/V2pSJ2cy2UA?t=94

This Accelerator is the first of a series of initiatives to help achieve Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030). As you know, IA2030 is the world’s strategy for the entire decade. The Accelerator is an opportunity to join and contribute to this nascent global Movement.

The Accelerator is not a course. The focus is on the actions you will take in your work, not on formal learning.

Learn more

https://www.learning.foundation/immunization-challenges

The Geneva Learning foundation’s Dialogue connects a diverse group of learning leaders from all over the world who are tackling complex learning, leadership, and impact challenges.

Join Reda Sadki and Karen E. Watkins from The Geneva Learning Foundation in a global roundtable with twenty remarkable Key Contributors.

We reflect on the significance of leadership for current trends, explore lessons learned and successes, and problem-solve real-world challenges and dilemmas submitted by Members of the Dialogue.

Request your invitation to join the Dialogue

https://www.learning.foundation/dialogue

Listen to the Foundation’s podcast

https://www.learning.foundation/podcast

You are invited to listen, learn, and share with Dr Judith Anchang-Kimbi and other colleagues from endemic countries who are taking action to prevent, diagnose, and treat FGS

Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS) has been described as one of the most neglected sexual and reproductive health issues in sub-Saharan Africa with an estimated 56 million women and girls infected.

This is an excerpt from the Geneva Learning Foundation’s Special Event, in which practitioners shared first-hand their successes, lessons learned, and challenges.

Learn more

https://www.learning.foundation/fgs

Dr Judith Anchang-Kimbi led a community and hospital-based study in the Tiko Health Area, South West Region, Cameroon

“With the help of a community health worker and a research associate from the University of Buea, we randomly sampled the opinions of some women living in the target community” explains Dr Judith Anchang-Kimbi. “The individuals sampled reported no knowledge of FGS, having never heard about it.”

She says that “the lesson learned has enhanced better understanding on why such a study on FGS is critical and how to design and implement my action plan.”

Pelvic examination is performed only for other urinary tract infections and this is usually done upon request. Some women narrated having experienced abdominal pain, itches, discharges.

“My contribution to other Scholars”, says Dr Judith Anchang-Kimbi, is that “a successful action plan depends greatly on a thorough assessment of the scenario in context.”

You are invited to listen, learn, and share with Sedonia Abapori Adabugah and other colleagues from endemic countries who are taking action to prevent, diagnose, and treat FGS

Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS) has been described as one of the most neglected sexual and reproductive health issues in sub-Saharan Africa with an estimated 56 million women and girls infected.

This is an excerpt from the Geneva Learning Foundation’s Special Event, in which practitioners shared first-hand their successes, lessons learned, and challenges.

Learn more

https://www.learning.foundation/fgs

Sedonia Abapori Adabugah shared what she learned during the FAST Package FGS workshop organized by Bridges to Development in partnership with the Geneva Learning Foundation: “I went to all the physician assistants in my districted and shared the slides with them.”

“One of them said there was a lady who keeps coming with recurrent STIs [sexually transmitted infections]. So he used the WHO Atlas [on FGS] and followed the protocol for investigation and treatment.”

However, “the fact that it is a rural area makes it difficult to access laboratory services. He therefore went ahead to suspect and treat her. Thankfully, she is doing well now.”

Sedonia is still “hoping to still carry the laboratory investigation anytime she finds herself in town.”

The Geneva Learning Foundation is pleased to announce the upcoming launch of the first Impact Accelerator for Immunization Agenda 2030.

The Accelerator will kick off on 8 November 2021 with the Launch pad, a series of activities led by peers working together to achieve impact.

This briefing is for Scholars who wish to know more about the Accelerator before submitting their application.

Learn more about Immunization Agenda 2030

https://www.learning.foundation/immunization-challenges

You are invited to listen, learn, and share with Ogechukwu Aribodor and other colleagues from endemic countries who are taking action to prevent, diagnose, and treat FGS

Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS) has been described as one of the most neglected sexual and reproductive health issues in sub-Saharan Africa with an estimated 56 million women and girls infected.

This is an excerpt from the Geneva Learning Foundation’s Special Event, in which practitioners shared first-hand their successes, lessons learned, and challenges.

Learn more

https://www.learning.foundation/fgs

Ogechukwu Aribodor’s action plan aims to reduce the burden of Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS) in endemic communities of Anambra State, Nigeria, using behavioural change communication (BCC) and the provision of alternative safe water supply.

Her host organisation is Nnamdi Azikiwe University, a Federal Government owned tertiary institution in Nigeria dedicated to teaching, research and community service. As an academic public health officer, she does not perform pelvic examinations.

Following the preliminary investigation carried out by our research team with me as the Principal investigator (PI) in some communities in the South-eastern region where we established the primary evidence of FGS in a young girl, Ogechukwu was keen to assist young girls and women affected in these communities. Hence, when the opportunity for the FGS competency training was announced, she applied.

The challenge Ogechukwu faced was how to prevent these young girls and women in endemic communities from accessing water bodies infested with the transmission stages of S. haematobium.

She believes this is important because behavioral change and awareness creation for FGS alone cannot prevent and lead to possible elimination of FGS: “Provision of an alternative safe water supply that will be sustainable will help to tackle FGS from the roots. This will help to interrupt completely the transmission cycle of the infective stages of these parasites and also prevent re-infection.”

Ogechukwu says that “the competency training really helped me to develop an action plan with specific deadlines to achieve my goal.”

This testimonial is part of a collection edited by the Geneva Learning Foundation’s Insights Unit. Analytical commentary is shared by our Insights reviewers from Bridges to Development, the International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC), and other partners.

We thank Jean Munro (Gavi) and Michela Manna (WHO) for their participation in the live event.

Working in the Foundation’s platform, national and sub-national immunization staff developed and peer reviewed 571 stories exploring gender norms, roles, behaviors and relations in the access and delivery of immunization services. The complete collection of stories, together with analysis of significant trends and patterns, are available exclusively for Insights subscribers.

Learn more about the Foundation’s Insights

https://www.learning.foundation/insights

You can listen to excerpts from our Insights Unit in the Foundation’s podcast

https://www.learning.foundation/podcast

Dr Meeta Dhaval Vashi is a Surveillance Officer at the WHO country office, India. She is involved in monitoring routine immunization and capacity building of government counterparts in Mumbai Metro city.

I visited a construction site located in lower Parel area of Mumbai in year 2014 for monitoring routine Immunization. The construction site was fully functional with many labourers staying in small temporary houses made in basements.There was a family with 2 children: elder daughter 4 years and son of 2.5 years , mother and father both manual labourers. The little girl was washing clothes and the son was playing sitting in a corner, both mother and father were working on the upper floors and a neighbouring lady was taking care in betweenOn going through the Immunization card, the son had received all due doses appropriate for age but there was no card for the daughter. When the mother was called , she said they have given her 1 injection in left leg at 2 or 3 months of age, after that “we have not given as if both the kids get vaccinated and develop fever for 2 days how will I work and I will lose my day’s wages. The elder daughter can take care of her brother well, so we have given him vaccinations.”

My responsibility was to educate parents on importance of immunization and evaluating service delivery for suggestions of improvementWe convinced the mother and then her husband that she can give vaccine to both on different days, and also explained the importance of vaccination for healthy children.

Dr Meeta’s takeaway from this story

“Being a woman, I could convince mother properly giving several examples and explaining different disease starting from what she already knew and the husband too was convinced to immunise their daughter but I felt bad that even if they immunise once on my insistence, will they continue the same in future when they go to different city/ site of construction?”

Jean Munro’s reflection (Gavi)

“Indeed, good reflective questions. The response doesn’t quite address the mother’s concern about her having to care for a feverish child when she should be working. What are other long term solutions that might address the mother’s concern?”

WHY IS THE GENEVA LEARNING FOUNDATION SHARING INSIGHTS?

We need fresh insights to support those leading change in districts, health facilities, and communities.

As a global community, we recognize the significance of local action to achieve the global goals.

“The lessons and learning are coming from people who are working in the community. That is where vaccination actually happens. We need to be focusing on the most local level of the immunization programme.” – Kate O'Brien, Director of the Department of Immunization, Vaccines, and Biologicals (IVB), World Health Organization (WHO)

The Geneva Learning Foundation (TGLF) hosts the largest and fastest-growing community of national and sub-national immunization professionals, with over 40,000 active participants from over 120 countries, as of May 2021. 80% of members are sub-national immunization staff, with strong support and linkage to national teams.

We realized that the valuable multi-country knowledge shared in our programmes should be regularly given back to the community, and that it could also inform our partners in identifying real-time priorities and opportunities and formulating strategies.

The Insights Unit is the Foundation’s research and analysis group. We systematically consolidate and communicate the contributions of learners in the Foundation’s programmes to share back to participants, governments, civil society and development partners.

To synthesize and spread insights, we work in partnership with Bridges to Development, the International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC) at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, and other partners.

Testimonial by an officer responsible for communication and surveillance of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) at the EPI (Expanded Programme on Immunization) Antenna in Kikwit Province, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Note: This testimonial was shared on 2 October 2021 during the peer learning exchange organized by COVID-19 Peer Hub teams from DRC and Cameroon.

This testimonial was produced by the Geneva Learning Foundation’s Insights Unit.

https://www.learning.foundation/insights

The complete transcript of the inter-country peer learning exchange is available exclusively for Insights subscribers.

Listen to the Foundation’s new podcast

https://www.learning.foundation/podcast

The province was not among the priority provinces for the launch of COVID-19 vaccination. The EPI office received 200 doses of Astra Zeneca vaccine. Vaccination was organized at the Kikwit Referral Hospital. This stock was quickly exhausted due to high demand.

A religious community came to request the vaccine against COVID. Another community of more than 200 Indians working in Kikwit also came to request the vaccine, but it was already out of stock. As soon as a second batch of vaccine was received, the population responded massively to be vaccinated.

Communication is done through Community Relays (CRs) and town criers, as Kikwit has no electricity to use the radio or other media for awareness raising. To listen to the radio in Kikwit, you need batteries and when these run out, there is no radio.

The message conveyed by the criers and the Community Relays specified the target of the vaccination (adults over 18 years of age, living with comorbidity) and, above all, the fact that this vaccination was voluntary. Adults came to ask for the vaccines even during the routine vaccination for children. There was no problem of vaccine hesitancy, despite some rumors.

Looking ahead, the Province is awaiting a new supply of vaccine and hopes to increase the number of vaccination sites from one to at least 18 in order to cover all 18 Health Zones with support from the national level.

Version française:

Témoignage d’un chargé de la Communication et de la Surveillance des MEV (maladies évitables par la vaccination) à l’Antenne PEV (Programme élargi de vaccination) de la Province de Kikwit, en République démocratique du Congo (RDC).

La province n’était pas parmi les Provinces prioritaires pour le lancement de la vaccination contre le COVID-19. L’antenne PEV a reçu 200 doses du vaccin Astra Zeneca et la vaccination a été organisée à l’Hôpital de Référence de Kikwit. Ce stock a été très vite épuisé à cause d’une forte demande.

Une communauté religieuse est venue demander le vaccin anti-COVID. Une autre communauté de plus de 200 Indiens travaillant à Kikwit s’est aussi présentée pour demander le vaccin, mais il y avait rupture de stock. Dès la réception d’un deuxième lot des vaccins, les populations ont répondu massivement pour se faire vacciner.

Concernant la communication, elle est faite par le biais des Relais Communautaires (RC) et des Crieurs, Kikwit n’ayant pas d’électricité pour l’utilisation de la radio ou d’autres médias pour la sensibilisation. Pour écouter la radio à Kikwit, il faut des piles et lorsqu’elles se déchargent, il n’y a plus de radio.

Le message porté pas les crieurs et les Relais Communautaires précisait la cible de la vaccination (des adultes de plus de 18 ans, vivant avec comorbidité) et, surtout, le fait que cette vaccination était volontaire. Des adultes venaient demander les vaccins même pendant la vaccination de routine, prévue pour les enfants. Pas de problème d’hésitation à la vaccination, malgré quelques rumeurs.

En perspective, la Province attend une nouvelle dotation en vaccin et espère augmenter le nombre de sites de vaccination d’un à au moins 18 afin de couvrir toutes les 18 Zones de Santé avec l’appui du niveau national.

In our first Insights LIVE, Dr Calvin Tonga shares key learning and insights from the first inter-country peer learning exchange between Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

At the request of national EPI authorities, the DRC team hosted colleagues from Cameroon in two sessions to share experience of COVID-19 vaccine introduction, with participants from all levels of the health system contributing.

The Geneva Learning Foundation was honored to support the inter-country peer learning exchange organized through the leadership of Dr. Franck Monga, COVID-19 Scholar Peer Hub Team Leader for DRC, and Dr. Calvin Tonga, COVID-19 Team Leader for Cameroon.

Almost 1,000 Alumni of the Foundation’s COVID-19 Peer Hub joined this peer learning exchange.

Read more about the Geneva Learning Foundation’s unique approach

Disseminating rapid learning about COVID-19 vaccine introduction

https://redasadki.me/2021/03/28/disseminating-rapid-learning-about-covid-19-vaccine-

View the first session of this inter-country peer learning exchange (in French)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzOL3s8MBdI

View the full Insights Live #1 Event

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZi93hF69ls

LEARN MORE ABOUT TGLF INSIGHTS

We need fresh insights to support those leading change in districts, health facilities, and communities.

As a global community, we recognize the significance of local action to achieve the global goals.

“The lessons and learning are coming from people who are working in the community. That is where vaccination actually happens. We need to be focusing on the most local level of the immunization programme.” – Kate O'Brien, Director of the Department of Immunization, Vaccines, and Biologicals (IVB), World Health Organization (WHO)

WHY IS THE GENEVA LEARNING FOUNDATION SHARING INSIGHTS?

The Geneva Learning Foundation (TGLF) hosts the largest and fastest-growing community of national and sub-national immunization professionals, with over 40,000 active participants from over 120 countries, as of May 2021. 80% of members are sub-national immunization staff, with strong support and linkage to national teams.

We realized that the valuable multi-country knowledge shared in our programmes should be regularly given back to the community, and that it could also inform our partners in identifying real-time priorities and opportunities and formulating strategies.

The Insights Unit is the Foundation’s research and analysis group. We systematically consolidate and communicate the contributions of learners in the Foundation’s programmes to share back to participants, governments, civil society and development partners.

To synthesize and spread insights, we work in partnership with Bridges to Development, the International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC) at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, and other partners.

Learn more about TGLF Insights

https://www.learning.foundation/insights

Dr. K. Tiala Korkpor-Mulbah is the immunization and health systems strengthening technical officer working with WHO in Monrovia city, Montserrdo county, Liberia. We discuss her story exploring gender norms, roles, behaviors and relations in the access and delivery of immunization services.

This testimonial is part of a collection edited by the Geneva Learning Foundation’s Insights Unit. Analytical commentary is shared by our Insights reviewers from Bridges to Development, the International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC), and other partners.

We thank Jean Munro (Gavi) and Michela Manna (WHO) for their participation in the live event.

Working in the Foundation’s platform, national and sub-national immunization staff developed and peer reviewed 571 stories exploring gender norms, roles, behaviors and relations in the access and delivery of immunization services. The complete collection of stories, together with analysis of significant trends and patterns, are available exclusively for Insights subscribers.

Learn more about the Foundation’s Insights

https://www.learning.foundation/insights

You can listen to excerpts from our Insights Unit in the Foundation’s podcast

https://www.learning.foundation/podcast

Summary of Dr. K. Tiala Korkpor-Mulbah’s story:

During Round 1 of the polio campaign in 2019 in Liberia, I was supervising an urban city in Monrovia. The team called to say there was a lady of the Muslim faith that had insisted her 3 children under 5 would not take the vaccine. I quickly went to the house along with the national supervisor. On the scene, the lady was very polite to us, but didn’t welcome us inside her home because her ‘husband’ wasn’t home, especially since the national supervisor was a male. She narrated that she had not gotten ‘instructions’ from her husband to vaccinate the children and so we couldn’t vaccinate them until she heard from her husband. She was quite aware of the benefits of vaccines and her children had taken previous vaccines on instructions of the husband. But because he wasn’t at home on the day the vaccination team came to the house, she was not clothed with the authority to decide what happened to the children outside her husband and therefore couldn’t decide on her own and allow the children to be vaccinated.

The 3 children received the vaccine after the father consented.

Dr Tiala’s takeaway from this story

“One way to address this situation is to recruit immunization teams from all areas or religions. In this case, I believe had either of the team members been from the Muslim faith, persuasion of the mother from the onset would’ve been easier.”

Bill Moss’s question (IVAC)

“Was this solely a religion issue or did the fact that the national supervisor was a male play a role?”

Jean Munro’s reflection (Gavi)

“I think another takeaway is the importance of working directly with fathers and informing them of importance of vaccines, vaccine schedules, when/where vaccines will take place and that the husband needs to be available or to bring the children in.”

Chizoba Wonodi’s reflection (IVAC)

“It seemed like the mother was already persuaded, she just did not have the “permission” to vaccinate her kids. In this setting the key lies with the men. Can an approach be to work with communities and their leaders to give “standing permission” to women for vaccinations of children? In thinking about more gender transformative approaches, we could ask, how do we transform social norms to make it okay for women to take decisions about protecting their children with vaccination?”

Jenny Sequeira’s reflection

“This story reflects problems that many locations may face when immunization teams are not inclusive of local populations or do not adequately involve men/fathers. And the ‘fixes’ might not be as easy as the takeaway suggests. So it would be useful for stories like this to include particular efforts tried to address barriers in having more inclusive immunization teams and better involving men/fathers, because it is very likely others are facing similar challenges in overcoming social, cultural, or system norms.”

Michela Manna’s reflection (WHO)

“Immunization campaigns need to take into account the different distribution of power in household decision making and how gender inequality can affect women’s agency to decide for their children. Men’s involvement in care also needs to be strengthened.”