Expanded program of immunization

The Government of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania (GIRM) will implement the program through its Ministry of Labor, Health, and Social Affairs (MLHSA). Children under 6 will be vaccinated against tuberculosis, measles, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, and polio, and pregnant women will be vaccinated against tetanus. Vaccines will be provided to maternal child health (MCH) clinics and to twelve 5-person regional immunization teams. Team leaders have already received a 5-day course in vaccination program administration and techniques and have returned to their regions and trained other team members. The teams will undertake the largest number of vaccinations the first year, after which they will vaccinate only subsequently born children and pregnant women (but will also be engaged in broader health activities such as primary health worker supervision, nutrition, sanitation, and health education). A Mauritanian will be trained to train MCH personnel and mobile team members in operation, maintenance, and repair of cold chain equipment. A WHO training expert will visit regional teams periodically and monitor cold chain and vaccination techniques, the programming of field vaccination visits, and maintenance of equipment and supplies, as well as health data collection and recordkeeping; considerable emphasis will be given to the latter two activities. The expert will be replaced in 2 years by a Mauritanian nurse. A prefabricated warehousing facility will be constructed and maintained for permanent refrigerated storage of vaccine stocks. Community education about the vaccination program will be carried out by GIRM administrative and health personnel who will inform the populace and organize vaccination sessions, and will be supplemented by publicity and explanations about disease control in radio broadcasts and newspaper articles.