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. 2022 Nov 1;14(6):632-638.
doi: 10.1093/inthealth/ihab089.

Lessons for strengthening childhood immunization in low- and middle-income countries from a successful public-private partnership in rural Nigeria

Aima A Ahonkhai  1   2 , Olumuyiwa O Odusanya  3 , François P Meurice  4   5 , Leslie J Pierce  2 , Temitope O Durojaiye  3 , Ewan F Alufohai  6 , Ralph Clemens  7 , Vincent I Ahonkhai  8
Affiliations

Lessons for strengthening childhood immunization in low- and middle-income countries from a successful public-private partnership in rural Nigeria

Aima A Ahonkhai et al. Int Health. .

Abstract

Background: Immunization is a cost-effective public health strategy to reduce vaccine preventable disease, especially in childhood.

Methods: This paper reports the philosophy, service delivery, achievements and lessons learned from an immunization program in rural Nigeria privately financed via a corporate social responsibility initiative from GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals.

Results: The immunization program served the community for a 16-y period extending from 1998 until 2015, resulting in an increase in age-appropriate immunization coverage from 43% to 78%.

Conclusion: In its success, this immunization program exemplified the importance of early and sustained community engagement, integration of strategies to optimize implementation outcomes and effective team building well before some of these principles were accepted and codified in the literature. The project also underscores the important role that the private sector can bring to achieving critical immunization goals, especially among underserved populations and provides a model for successful public-private partnership.

Keywords: childhood immunization; immunization coverage; private sector; public-private partnership; vaccination.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Timeline of pre-implementation, implementation and transition activities for the Sabongidda-Ora Vaccination Project.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Percentage of immunization coverage before, 2 and 8 y after initiation of the Sabongidda-Ora Vaccination Project. BCG, Bacillus Calmette-Guerin; DPT, diphtheria-pertussis/whole cell-tetanus; HBV, hepatitis B vaccine; OPV, trivalent oral polio vaccine.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Key pillars of the program's success.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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