'Communicate to vaccinate' (COMMVAC). building evidence for improving communication about childhood vaccinations in low- and middle-income countries: protocol for a programme of research

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Effective provider-parent communication can improve childhood vaccination uptake and strengthen immunisation services in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Building capacity to improve communication strategies has been neglected. Rigorous research exists but is not readily found or applicable to LMICs, making it difficult for policy makers to use it to inform vaccination policies and practice. The aim of this project is to build research knowledge and capacity to use evidence-based strategies for improving communication about childhood vaccinations with parents and communities in LMICs. Methods and design This project is a mixed methods study with six sub-studies. In sub-study one, we will develop a systematic map of provider-parent communication interventions for childhood vaccinations by screening and extracting data from relevant literature. This map will inform sub-study two, in which we will develop a taxonomy of interventions to improve provider-parent communication around childhood vaccination. In sub-study three, the taxonomy will be populated with trial citations to create an evidence map, which will also identify how evidence is linked to communication barriers regarding vaccination. In the project's fourth sub-study, we will present the interventions map, taxonomy, and evidence map to international stakeholders to identify high-priority topics for systematic reviews of interventions to improve parent-provider communication for childhood vaccination. We will produce systematic reviews of the effects of high-priority interventions in the fifth sub-study. In the sixth and final sub-study of the project, evidence from the systematic reviews will be translated into accessible formats and messages for dissemination to LMICs. DISCUSSION: This project combines evidence mapping, conceptual and taxonomy development, priority setting, systematic reviews, and knowledge transfer. It will build and share concepts, terms, evidence, and resources to aid the development of communication strategies for effective vaccination programmes in LMIC

Advocating for efforts to protect African children, families, and communities from the threat of infectious diseases : report of the First International African Vaccinology Conference

CITATION: Wiysonge, C. S., et al. 2016. Advocating for efforts to protect African children, families, and communities from the threat of infectious diseases : report of the First International African Vaccinology Conference. The Pan African Medical Journal, 23:53, doi:10.11604/pamj.2016.23.53.9097.The original publication is available at http://www.panafrican-med-journal.comOne means of improving healthcare workers' knowledg e of and attitudes to vaccines is through running v accine conferences which are accessible, affordable, and relevant to their everyday work. Va rious vaccinology conferences are held each year wo rldwide. These meetings focus heavily on basic science with much discussion about new develo pments in vaccines, and relatively little coverage of policy, advocacy, and communication issues. A negligible proportion of delegates at the se conferences come from Africa, home to almost 40% of the global burden of vaccine- preventable diseases. To the best of our knowledge, no major vaccinology conference has ever been held on the African continent apart from World Health Organization (WHO) meetings. The conte nt of the first International African Vaccinology C onference was planned to be different; to focus on the science, with a major part of discussi ons being on clinical, programmatic, policy, and ad vocacy issues. The conference was held in Cape Town, South Africa, from 8 to 11 November 2012 . The theme of the conference was “Advocating for e fforts to protect African children, families, and communities from the threat of infect ious diseases”. There were more than 550 registered participants from 55 countries (including 37 African countries). There were nine pre-conferen ce workshops, ten plenary sessions, and 150 oral an d poster presentations. The conference discussed the challenges to universal immunisation in Africa as well as the promotion of dialogue and communication on immunisation among all stakeholders. There was general acknowledgment that giant strides have been made in Africa since the g lobal launch of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation in 1974. For example, there has bee n significant progress in introducing new and under -utilised vaccines; including hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenza type b, pneumococcal conju gate, rotavirus, meningococcal A conjugate, and hum an papillomavirus vaccines. In May 2012, African countries endorsed the Global Vaccine Action Plan at the World Health Assembly. However, more than six million children remain incompletely vaccinated in Africa leading to more t han one million vaccine-preventable deaths annually . In addition, there are persistent problems with leadership and planning, vaccine stock managem ent, supply chain capacity and quality, provider-pa rent communication, and financial sustainability. The conference delegates agreed to move from talking to taking concrete actions around children's health, and to ensure that African governments commit to saving children's liv es. They would advocate for lower costs of immunisa tion programmes n Africa, perhaps through bulk buying and improved administration of vaccine rollout through the New Partnership for Afr ica's Development.http://www.panafrican-med-journal.com/content/article/23/53/full/Publisher's versio

Annual Tuberculosis Preventive Therapy for Persons With HIV Infection : A Randomized Trial.

Between November 2016 and November 2017, 4027 participants were enrolled; 4014 were included in the analyses (median age, 41 years; 69.5% women; all using antiretroviral therapy). Treatment completion in the first year for the combined rifapentine-isoniazid groups (n = 3610) was 90.4% versus 50.5% for the isoniazid group (n = 404) (risk ratio, 1.78 [95% CI, 1.61 to 1.95]). Tuberculosis incidence among participants receiving the rifapentine-isoniazid regimen twice (n = 1808) or once (n = 1802) was similar (hazard ratio, 0.96 [CI, 0.61 to 1.50])