Gathering information on maternal immunization readiness in Bangladesh, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, and Nepal: Applying a WHO checklist

Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2024 Dec 31;20(1):2437258. doi: 10.1080/21645515.2024.2437258. Epub 2024 Dec 17.

Abstract

New respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) maternal vaccines have begun roll out in some countries, with efforts in progress to broaden access worldwide and shorten the timeline to access for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Prior to new maternal immunization (MI) introductions, countries will need to evaluate their capacity and readiness for successful introduction. The World Health Organization's Maternal Immunization and Antenatal Care Situation Analysis (MIACSA) project (2016-2019) developed a checklist for countries to self-evaluate their capacity to introduce new maternal vaccines. Here, we report on our use of the MIACSA checklist in Bangladesh, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, and Nepal to gather country stakeholders' perceptions of MI readiness and provide additional considerations for implementers when using the checklist to optimize its usefulness.

Keywords: Maternal vaccines; checklist; country readiness.

MeSH terms

  • Bangladesh
  • Checklist*
  • Developing Countries
  • Female
  • Ghana
  • Humans
  • Immunization
  • Immunization Programs
  • Kenya
  • Mozambique
  • Nepal
  • Pregnancy
  • Prenatal Care
  • Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / prevention & control
  • Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccines / administration & dosage
  • Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccines / immunology
  • Vaccination / psychology
  • World Health Organization*

Substances

  • Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccines

Grants and funding

This study is based on research funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The findings and conclusions contained within are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect positions or policies of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Under the grant conditions of the foundation, a Creative Commons license Attribution 4.0 Generic License has already been assigned to the Author Accepted Manuscript version that might arise from this submission.