Towards a Sustainable Wild Poliovirus Containment Strategy in Zambia

Objective: The main objective of the survey and inventory of laboratories was to identify laboratories storing Wild Polio Virus (WPV) or potential infectious materials as a last step in contributing to sub-regional efforts in attaining a polio free status and the eradication of poliomyelitis in Zambia.Methods: An adapted WHO generic protocol was used by the National Task Force (NTF) on Poliovirus Containment in Zambia to identify all bio-medicallaboratories in Zambia. A questionnaire sent to all biomedical laboratories was used to identify laboratories storing WPV or potential infectious  materials. Further physical inspection was done on some laboratories.Results: Of the 170 biomedical laboratories in Zambia, 104 (61.1%) responded and 24 were identified as potentially storing infectious materials for WPV. Only one laboratory, the Virology Laboratory, University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka was noted to store both WPV and potential infectious  materials.Conclusion: The Ministry of Health through the NTF has set an impressive system in the laboratory containment of WPV and potential infectious  materials in Zambia. Appropriate bio-safety containment and restricted  access to stored materials containing WPV at the Virology Laboratory in Lusaka is a major step in the eradication of poliomyelitis in Zambia. Containment of these infectious materials will be particularly important in the post oral polio vaccination cessation era as there will be a large population of unimmunised children in the community who will be  susceptible to polio

Neurological & Psychiatric Society of Zambia's Evidence-Based Guidelines for EEG Utilization at the University Teaching Hospital

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Assessing the Delivery and Effectiveness of a New Immunisation Training Initiative at District Level in Zambia

Objectives: The objective of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the training initiative to identify the challenges of immunisation at the district level in Zambia. The secondary objective was to assess the immediate impact of the training on the perceived competence of trainees who attended the Mid Level Management (MLM) course on immunisation.Methods: A needs assessment of the EPI programme in Zambia was conducted. Participants were assessed on their ability, competence, knowledge and skills in areas such as understanding the Reach Every District (RED) strategy, vaccine management, cold chain management, and immunisation monitoring. Based on these assessments, 12 areas were identified as of particular relevance, and the World Health Organisation MLM course manual was adapted to reflect them. Two groups of 25 participants were assessed at two different time points with an interval of six months.Results: There was a significant increase (p<0.05) after training in the participants' perceived ability, competence, knowledge and skills in all the targeted areas except for understanding the RED strategy, capacity to supervise immunisation activities and immunisation coverage.Conclusion: The two training groups showed significant improvement after training in perceived ability, competence, knowledge and skills in most targeted areas. To sustain high immunisation coverage, there is an urgent need to improve supportive supervisory visits and to have more frequent and regular MLM immunisation training workshops

The African Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Network: a vaccine advocacy initiative

Achieving high and equitable childhood immunisation coverage in Africa will not only protect children from disability and premature death, it will also boost productivity, reduce poverty and support the economic growth of the continent. Thus, Africa needs innovative and sustainable vaccine advocacy initiatives. One such initiative is the African Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Network, formed in 2009. This association of immunisation practitioners, vaccinologists, paediatricians, and infectious disease experts provides a platform to advocate for the introduction of newly available vaccines (e.g. 10-valent and 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate and rotavirus vaccines) into the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) as well as increased and equitable coverage for established EPI vaccines.Key words: Vaccine preventable diseases, vaccine, network, Africa, awareness, child healt

Observational case series of Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome (IRIS) following initiation of Antiretroviral Therapy in infants with absent BCG scars in Lusaka, Zambia

Reported here is the case series of six infants presenting with immune reconstitution syndrome following the initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ARV). The infants had no BCG scars at the time of starting ARVs and the mean duration of appearance of the cold abscess / lymphadenitis on the ipsilateral side of the BCG site was 2 – 8 weeks. Mycobacterial speciation studies of the fine needle aspirate material showed Mycobacterium Bovis, BCG strain. Two of the patients had to require antimycobacterial therapy