Selected transformative investment; Invest in transport, EPI logistics and the responsible use of EPI data for decision making at all levels.

Strategies;

1. Provision of strong motorbikes and vehicles especially at the rural areas.
2. Regular supply of vaccines, syringes and other EPI logistics from national through region, districts and facility level.
3. Formation of data validation teams at all levels
4. Improve cold chain logistics and vaccine management at all levels
5. Regular integrated and supportive monitoring at all levels
6. Ensure the use of standard tools for EPI data collection
7. Involvement of primary healthcare (CHPS) staff in planning at the district level
8. Regular data analysis and feedbacks
9. Internal and external peer review at mid-level (district) and lower levels (sub-districts and facilities).
10. Periodic research, monitoring and evaluation of EPI programme and dissemination

The three priorities;

1. Regular supply of vaccines, syringes and other EPI logistics from national through region, districts and facility level.
2. Provision of strong motorbikes and vehicles especially at the rural areas.
3. Regular integrated and supportive monitoring at all levels

Why investment on transport, EPI logistics and the responsible use of EPI data for decision making;

Vaccines, syringes and other EPI logistics supply is one of the major challenges facing facility level staff despite the implementation of the bundle service in Ghana where all logistics and vaccines move together. This happens due to inadequate supply or lack of some antigens at the district or regional cold room. It also occur as a result of lack of transport to get the required vaccines at the schedule time or period for the mothers and their children. With the provision of strong motorbikes (e.g AGs, DTs) and vehicles it will go a long way to solving this problem. Other logistical constraints included inadequate/lack of vaccine refrigerators at the sub-district/facility levels where vaccines can easily be accessed for service delivery. Staff have to always travel to the district cold store for vaccine each time they are going for outreach services.

Monitoring and supervision is required at each level of programme planning, implementation and evaluation (GHS, 2014). Therefore, the above issues when solved needs constant and regular supportive integrated monitoring and supervision at all levels to ensure that systems are working properly for the smooth running of the service. National, region, districts and sub-district should be supported to develop monitoring and supervisory plans and adhere to the plans to support lower level service delivery. This is done to ensure judicious use of limited available resources.

References

GHS. (2014). Comprehensive Multi-Year Plan For Immunizations (2015 - 2019). pg 33, 81