Family Health Days program contributions in vaccination of unreached and under-immunized children during routine vaccinations in Uganda

PLoS One. 2020 Jan 17;15(1):e0218239. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0218239. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Background: We explored the contributions of the Family Health Days (FHDs) concept, which was developed by the Uganda Ministry of Health (MOH) and UNICEF as a supplementary quarterly outreach program in addition to strengthening the routine expanded program for immunization (EPI), with the aim to increase coverage, through improved access to the unimmunized or unreached and under-immunized children under 5 years.

Method: A cross-sectional descriptive study of the Uganda MOH, Health Management Information Systems (HMIS) and UNICEF in house FHDs data was conducted covering six quarterly implementations of the program between April 2012 and December 2013. The FHDs program was implemented in 31 priority districts with low routine vaccination coverage from seven sub-regions in Uganda in a phased manner using places of worship for service delivery.

Results: During the six rounds of FHDs in the 31 districts, a total of 178,709 and 191,223 children received measles and Diphtheria-Pertussis-Tetanus (DPT3) vaccinations, respectively. The FHDs' contributions were 126% and 144% for measles and 103% and 122% for DPT3 in 2012 and 2013, respectively of the estimated unreached annual target populations. All implementing sub-regions after two rounds in 2012 attained over and above the desired target for DPT3 (85%) and measles (90%). The same was true in 2013 after four rounds, except for Karamoja and West Nile sub-regions, where in some districts a substantial proportion of children remained unimmunized. The administrative data for both DPT3 and measles immunization showed prominent and noticeable increase in coverage trend in FHDS regions for the months when the program was implemented.

Conclusion: The FHDs program improved vaccination equity by reaching the unreached and hard-to-reach children and bridging the gap in immunization coverage, and fast tracking the achievement of targets recommended by the Global Vaccine Action Plan (GVAP) for measles and DPT3 (85% and 90% respectively) in implementing sub-regions and districts. The FHDs is an innovative program to supplement routine immunizations designed to reach the unreached and under immunized children.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine / therapeutic use*
  • Family Health
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunization Programs
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Measles / epidemiology
  • Measles / pathology
  • Measles / prevention & control*
  • Uganda / epidemiology
  • Vaccination Coverage
  • Vaccination*

Substances

  • Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine

Grants and funding

UNICEF Uganda provided operational funds that supported the study field activities through contracting of Child and Family Foundation Uganda (CFU), a non-government organization under contract number 43149306 but UNICEF Uganda did not have any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. CFU paid field supervision expenses to EM, HMB, VKO, RBM, MNM, and ET in the conduct of the study. Robert B. Mutyaba was affiliated to RBMTM Systems, a commercial company but RBMTM Systems had no role in the funding and conduct of the study.