Schools as potential vaccination venue for vaccines outside regular EPI schedule: results from a school census in Pakistan

BMC Research Notes

Zulfiqar A Bhutta¹  R Leon Ochiai²  Michael Favorov²  John D Clemens²  Abdul Razzaq Lasi¹  Asif R Khowaja¹  Zamir Hussain Suhag¹  Mahesh K Puri²  Imtiaz Hussain¹  Rehman Tahir¹  Mushtaq Mirani¹  Muhammad Bilal Siddiqui¹  M Imran Khan²  Inam-ul Haq¹  Sajid Bashir Soofi¹ 

[1] Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan;Translational Research Division, International Vaccine Institute, Seoul, Republic of Korea

关键词: health education;    infectious disease;    developing country;    typhoid fever;    Vaccine;   

Others  :  1166812
DOI  :  10.1186/1756-0500-5-6

 received in 2011-04-04, accepted in 2012-01-06,  发布年份 2012

【 摘 要 】

Background

Vaccines are the most effective public health intervention. Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) provides routine vaccination in developing countries. However, vaccines that cannot be given in EPI schedule such as typhoid fever vaccine need alternative venues. In areas where school enrolment is high, schools provide a cost effective opportunity for vaccination. Prior to start of a school-based typhoid vaccination program, interviews were conducted with staff of educational institutions in two townships of Karachi, Pakistan to collect baseline information about the school system and to plan a typhoid vaccination program. Data collection teams administered a structured questionnaire to all schools in the two townships. The administrative staff was requested information on school fee, class enrolment, past history of involvement and willingness of parents to participate in a vaccination campaign.

Results

A total of 304,836 students were enrolled in 1,096 public, private, and religious schools (Madrasahs) of the two towns. Five percent of schools refused to participate in the school census. Twenty-five percent of schools had a total enrolment of less than 100 students whereas 3% had more than 1,000 students. Health education programs were available in less than 8% of public schools, 17% of private schools, and 14% of Madrasahs. One-quarter of public schools, 41% of private schools, and 43% of Madrasahs had previously participated in a school-based vaccination campaign. The most common vaccination campaign in which schools participated was Polio eradication program. Cost of the vaccine, side effects, and parents' lack of information were highlighted as important limiting factors by school administration for school-based immunization programs. Permission from parents, appropriateness of vaccine-related information, and involvement of teachers were considered as important factors to improve participation.

Conclusions

Health education programs are not part of the regular school curriculum in developing countries including Pakistan. Many schools in the targeted townships participated in immunization activities but they were not carried out regularly. In the wake of low immunization coverage in Pakistan, schools can be used as a potential venue not only for non-EPI vaccines, but for a catch up vaccination of routine vaccines.

【 授权许可】

   
2011 Soofi et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

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