REPORT OF THE MENAFRIVACTM SUPERVISION CAMPAIGN IN THE REGION OF DIOURBEL

The campaign aimed to vaccinate individuals aged 1-29 years old in 35 districts of eight high-risk regions. The region of Diourbel was one of the areas targeted for the campaign, with a focus on ensuring the effective start of activities, quality training of vaccinator teams, and proper organization of immunization sessions. Preparatory activities for the campaign were carried out in a timely manner, including the development and validation of micro-plans, setting up communication tools, and conducting training activities for regional and district health teams. Financial resources were also put in place, with a total of 25,029,500 CFA francs allocated to the Diourbel region. Local resources were mobilized to support the campaign, with a total of 14,771,736 CFA francs received by the region. The campaign was implemented in accordance with the micro-plans, with fixed sites, secondary advanced sites, and mobile sites. The first three days of the campaign saw a strong participation of the population, but problems arose with crowd control and interpersonal communication. To address these issues, daily meetings of restitution were held at the district and regional levels to readjust and adapt the organization of immunization activities. Communication and social mobilization activities were also conducted, including the official launch by the Governor of the Region of Diourbel, diffusion of spots and radio broadcasts, and sensitization of people by mobilizers and public criers. Partnerships were established with the press to cover the campaign and organize radio broadcasts. Cases of refusal were managed by supervisors and the Management Committee for rumors and denials. The campaign was supervised by a coordination unit responsible for collecting data and coordinating teams on the ground. Coordinating mechanisms during the campaign included daily debriefing meetings at the district level and debriefing meetings at the regional level every two days. Supervisors from central level, including consultants and representatives of institutions such as WHO, UNICEF, and MCHIP/USAID, made rotating supervision at the district level to correct gaps related to the organization of vaccination sites, vaccination technique, and management of vaccines and cold chain. The campaign achieved satisfactory results, with over 95% of targets covered in the region. A total of 37 minor cases of adverse events following immunization (AEFI) were registered and cured within the districts. The campaign's success was attributed to the effective coordination of activities, proper organization of immunization sessions, and strong communication and social mobilization efforts. The MenAfriVacTM program aims to eliminate epidemics of meningitis as a public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa through the development, certification, and extensive use of a conjugate vaccine combined with affordable cost. The program has been developed in partnership with WHO and PATH, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The new conjugate meningococcal A vaccine, MenAfriVacTM, has been developed and will be introduced by mass vaccination campaigns to all people aged 1-29 years old in the meningitis belt, including Senegal.