FROM VACCINES TO VACCINATION: MAPPING THE CLIENT JOURNEY TO COVID-19 VACCINATION IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA (Nigeria, Kenya, and Ethiopia)
The overall study goal is to generate insights to improve the delivery of, demand for and uptake of the COVID-19 vaccines in sub-Saharan Africa, using Kenya, Nigeria, and Ethiopia as examples.
The specific objectives of the study would be:
- To examine the COVID-19 vaccination policy and program strategies and status.
- To understand health care workers’ vaccination journey, disposition and capacity to promote the COVID-19 vaccination.
- To understand the socio-behavioural drivers of COVID vaccine acceptance and hesitancy as well as the client journey to vaccination.
This is a mixed-method study aiming to recruit participants categorized into three; expert interviewees, health care workers and the general population. In undertaking the study, interviews with regional policymakers, national bodies and sub-national immunization program managers to examine the COVID-19 vaccination policy and program strategies will be conducted. Health care providers would also be engaged through interviews and online surveys to understand their vaccination journey, disposition, and capacity to promote the COVID-19 vaccination campaign. Finally, community influencers, clients and the general population would also be engaged through interviews and household surveys to understand the socio-behavioural drivers of vaccine acceptance and hesitancy as well as client journey to vaccination.
The study will largely borrow from UNICEF’s journey to immunization framework, the WHO’s Behavioral and Social Determinants of vaccine acceptance, and the 3 C’s model of vaccine hesitancy, to understand the client vaccination journey and factors that positively or negatively impact it.
Upon completion, this study will provide critical insights that contribute to the overall goal of accelerating equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.
Using publicly available information and study generated data, the research team will provide ground-level intelligence on the general policy environment for COVID19 vaccine implementation in Kenya and two other African countries (Nigeria and Ethiopia) and report on the countries’ plans, strategies, challenges, successes, and lessons learned thus far.
Country implementers and local health care providers may use the information in ensuring vaccine demand, and supply functions effectively meet and in addressing the public health concerns with COVID-19.
Study findings shall be published in peer-reviewed journals and shared with relevant subnational, national, and regional immunization stakeholders.
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