Project design: Literature review and qualitative study

Duration: September – December 2024

Project location(s): Ekiti, Kaduna, Ondo, Oyo and Delta

Project description:

Understanding and addressing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) issues is critical for achieving overall health outcomes and securing the future of adolescent girls and young women of reproductive age (YWRA). This study aims to fill these gaps by providing examining SRH knowledge, practices, and access to services and programs, assessing their effectiveness, identifying gaps, and determining their impact on SRH outcomes. By achieving these objectives, the study will provide valuable insights into the current state of SRH among adolescent girls and young women in Nigeria. This will inform the development of more effective policies and programs, ultimately contributing to better SRH outcomes and the overall well-being of this vulnerable population.

Project themes/keywords: SRH, Adolescents

Project design: Qualitative study

Duration: May 2024 – June 2025

Project location(s): Nigeria, Cameroon, Bangladesh, Madagascar

Project description:

This project seeks to identify best practices for Community-Based Tracking (CBT) for immunization and develop guidelines to enhance Civil Society Organization (CSO) participation the collection and use of data to improve immunization outcomes. CBT empowers communities to assess health programs, enabling members to advocate for change and hold service providers accountable. By complementing administrative and survey data with quantitative, qualitative, and observational data, CBT can enhance program evaluation and accountability in resource-constrained settings. Local volunteers, health workers, and CSOs can play a crucial role in supporting and strengthening immunization programs through better collection and use of data for performance management and accountability.

Project themes/keywords: CSOs, Immunization, CBT, CBM

Project design: Quasi-experimental mixed methods

Duration: March 2024 – December 2025

Implementing partners: JHPIEGO

Project location(s): Nigeria (Lagos & Kebbi states), Tanzania and Cote d’Ivoire

Project description:

Despite Nigeria’s successful introduction of the vaccine to over 80% of its target population of 9 to 14-year-old girls, sustaining the program remains a challenge. The transition from campaign to routine vaccination requires addressing ongoing knowledge gaps and awareness issues about the vaccine and cervical cancer.

This study will address the overarching Learning Question, “Can integrating HPV vaccination with other adolescent services across different delivery platforms improve HPV coverage sustainably and contribute to additional adolescent health outcomes?” This will be done by describing the impact of locally designed integrated service packages, as well as test two pathways to change: (1) addressing unmet demand in facilities and community outreach, and (2) leveraging school-based platforms.

Project themes/keywords: HPV vaccination, adolescent services

Duration: January to December 2023

Project description:

COVID-19 vaccination efforts are faced with challenges around the distribution, delivery, and demand for the vaccines. The COVID Vaccine Delivery Partnership is shifting country assistance towards the scale-up of vaccinations, particularly for high-priority populations (such as health care workers, elderly people, people with comorbidities, pregnant women, etc.) and towards integration of COVID-19 vaccination into immunization programs and primary health care (PHC). Learning from experiences, best practices, and innovative solutions can help countries in their efforts to scale-up and optimize COVID-19 vaccine delivery.

This systematic literature review covers eight thematic areas on COVID-19 vaccine rollout and will produce rapid reviews to inform country COVID-19 vaccination strategies, and future pandemic preparedness. Thematic areas include:

1. Service Delivery and Integration
2. Political Will and Financing
3. Supply and Logistics
4. Planning and Coordination
5. Demand and Uptake
6. Health Workforce
7. Monitoring and Evaluation
8. Adverse Event Monitoring and Management

Resources:

1. Experiences, Enablers, and Challenges in Service Delivery and Integration of COVID-19 Vaccines: A Rapid Systematic Review (https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11050974)

Project themes/keywords: HPV vaccines, CSOs, new-vaccine introduction, documentation

Duration: July – October 2024

Project location(s): Ekiti, Kaduna, Ondo, Oyo and Delta

Project description:

This study sought to identify and understand factors influencing knowledge, attitudes, and uptake, key stakeholders, and the general landscape of HPV vaccine programming in Nigeria to ensure sustained coverage and HPV vaccine optimization in Nigeria. The assessment focused on five states, with qualitative interviews conducted with key stakeholders to provide multi-context insights to be harnessed and applied in Nigeria’s HPV vaccine program. 

Project themes/keywords: HPV Vaccination

Duration: January to July 2024

Implementing partners: CSOs and Youths

Project location(s): Anambra, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Gombe, Imo, Kaduna, Katsina, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Ondo, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Yobe, and Zamfara

Project description:

Following the success of the engagement of CSOs for the Phase I HPV vaccine introduction, CSOs and youths were engaged in the 21 Phase II HPV vaccine introduction states to support with demand generation activities and mobilization of adolescent girls to receive the HPV vaccine.

Project themes/keywords: HPV vaccination, CSOs, Youths, documentation

Duration: January 2023 to March 2024

Implementing partners: Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) across the 16 Phase I HPV VI states

Project location(s): Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Enugu, FCT, Jigawa, Kano, Kebbi, Lagos, Nasarawa, Ogun, Osun, Taraba

Project description:

Based on TA needs identified by NPHCDA during consultations with immunization partners this project provided technical assistance to NPHCDA on three areas to: 1) support the HPV vaccine introduction and improve CSO engagement in immunization; 2) support the scale up of HCD approaches to address zero dose problems; and 3) support NPHCDA document to best practices on immunization for a broader audience. This project supported with urgent and catalytic activities with the aim of promoting the routine immunization program delivery in Nigeria.

Objectives:

1. Support Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine introduction by strengthening Civil Society Organizations (CSO) capacity for, and engagement in demand generation to promote HPV acceptance and uptake in the phase 1 states.
2. To strengthen the use of HCD approaches in the development of microplan and zero dose operational plan (ZDROP), for the identification and reach of zero dose children and communities, focusing on LGAs with the highest burden of zero dose children.
3. Support NPHCDA document immunization program innovations and knowledge generated from implementation activities, to demonstrate the impact of immunization investments, and share learning with a broader national, regional, and global audience through peer-reviewed and gray literature publications.

Project themes/keywords: HPV vaccines, CSOs, new-vaccine introduction, documentation

Project design: Quasi-experimental mixed-methods intervention study

Duration: January 2022 – March 2023

Implementing partners: Peach Aid Medical Institute (PMI)

Project location(s): Durumi IDP Camp (intervention) and Malaysia Garden IDP camp (control)

Project description:

RaISE in Nigeria was a quasi-experimental research project that used Human-Centered Design (HCD) as a participatory community-engagement strategy to develop a mobile SRH (mSRH) intervention package for internally displaced women and adolescent girls (IDWAGs) in one internally displaced person (IDP) camp in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nigeria. The intervention was designed to increase access to, and demand for comprehensive contraceptive education and services among IDWAGs in FCT Nigeria.

Project themes/keywords: SRH, Internally Displaced Persons, Human-Centered Design

Project design: Mixed methods with baseline and endline evaluations

Duration: January to December 2022

Implementing partners: This project was implemented by Women Advocates for Vaccine Access (WAVA) with support from the DCL team

Project location(s): Gwagwalada Area Council, FCT Abuja

Project description:

This study aimed to understand the socio-behavioral drivers and determinants of COVID-19 vaccination to inform targeted communication messaging and implementation strategies and increase vaccination uptake among hesitant HCWs and adults. It was guided by the behavioral and social drivers (BeSD) of COVID-19 vaccination framework that influence vaccine uptake. We used the HCD approach that involved collaborating with the target population to co-create messages and communication strategies tailored to suit hesitant groups.

Resources:

Published literature

1. Drivers of COVID-19 Vaccination among Eligible Adults in Abuja, Nigeria: A Mixed-Methods Study Using the WHO Behavioral and Social Drivers of Vaccination Framework (https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12101128)
2. Perceptions around Vaccines & Demand Generation: Three Case Studies in India, Kenya and Nigeria (https://www.vaccineacceptance.org/community-led-strategies-to-aid-vaccine-acceptance-nine-case-studies-from-around-the-world/)
3. Targeted messaging for COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in northern Nigeria: a baseline mixed-methods assessment (https://academyhealth.confex.com/academyhealth/2022di/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/55147)
4. Highlights from COVID CIRCLE’s December 2022 Conference (https://ukcdr.org.uk/news/highlights-from-covid-circles-december-2022-conference/)

Compilation of 2022 SBCC Grant Partners Video Narrative

1. Part 1: Opportunities for Positive Change (https://youtu.be/5C29VhUKE0Y)
2. Part 2: Methodology, Data Gathering, & Analysis (https://youtu.be/p74hywg_zR8)
3. Part 3: Key Findings (https://youtu.be/r9v-9uzz5qM)
4. Part 4: When Communities Lead, Vaccination Succeeds (https://youtu.be/P0jiPWPl84g)

Project themes/keywords: Targeted messaging, human-centered design, COVID-19 vaccine acceptance

Duration: October 2021 – October 2022

Implementing partners: Capacities for Health and Social Policy (CHASP) Advisory (Kenya) and Triple Line Consulting (Ethiopia)

Project location(s): Enugu, Gombe, Kano, Kogi, Lagos and Rivers States (Nigeria)

Project description:

The global COVID-19 pandemic affected most countries worldwide, including Sub-Saharan African (SSA). COVID-19 vaccination was a key strategy to ending the pandemic. As countries deployed the vaccines, it was important to assess how well the deployment plans were executed, the strategies that were adopted, and the challenges, successes, and gaps of the vaccination program.

At the policy and program management level, the study examined relevant regional, national, and sub-national COVID policies and programs to assess the short, medium and long-term plans for COVID vaccination, the readiness for vaccine introduction and the status of vaccine rolls out plans and actions. At the vaccination program implementation frontlines, the study examined health workers disposition towards the vaccine and capacity to play their roles as vaccinators and educators. At the client level, the study examined cognitive and practical drivers of vaccine acceptance or hesitancy as well as the barriers to access along the client’s vaccination journey.

The overall study goal was to generate insights to improve the delivery of, demand for, and uptake of the COVID-19 vaccines in sub-Saharan Africa, using Nigeria, Kenya, and Ethiopia as case studies.

Resources:

1. Mapping the COVID vaccination journey in Nigeria among adults, a mixed-methods study to inform vaccination program strategies (https://academyhealth.confex.com/academyhealth/2022di/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/55579)
2. Determinants of COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptability among Healthcare Workers in Kenya-A Mixed Methods Analysis (https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11081290)

Project themes/keywords: COVID-19 vaccination