Abstract
BackgroundThe globally synchronized switch from trivalent Oral Polio Vaccine (tOPV) to bivalent Oral Polio Vaccine (bOPV) took place in Nigeria on April 18th 2016. The country is divided into six geopolitical zones. This study reports the experiences and lessons learned from the switch process in the six states that make up Nigeria’s south-south geopolitical zone.MethodsThis was a descriptive retrospective review of Nigeria’s switch plan and structures used for implementing the tOPV-bOPV switch in the south-south zone. Nigeria’s National Polio Emergency Operation Centre (NPEOC) protocols, global guidelines and reports from switch supervisors during the switch were used to provide background information for this study. Quantitative data were derived from reviewing switch monitoring and validation documents as submitted to the NPEOCResultsThe switch process took place in all 3078 Health Facilities (HFs) and 123 Local Government Areas (LGAs) that make up the six states in the zone. A total of $139,430 was used for this process. The ‘healthcare personnel’ component received the highest budgetary allocation (59%) followed by the ‘logistics’ component (18%).Akwa Ibom state was allocated the highest number of healthcare personnel and hence received the most budgetary allocation compared to the six states (total healthcare personnel = 458, total budgetary allocation = $17,428).Validation of the switch process revealed that eight HFs in Bayelsa, Cross-River, Edo and Rivers states still possessed tOPV in cold-chain while six HFs in Cross-River and Rivers states had tOPV out of cold-chain but without the ‘do not use’ sticker.Akwa-Ibom was the only state in the zone to have bOPV and Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) available in all its HFs monitored.ConclusionThe Nigerian tOPV-bOPV switch was successful. For future Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) withdrawals, implementation of the switch plan would be more feasible with an earlier dissemination of funds from global donor organizations, which would greatly aid timely planning and preparations. Increased budgetary allocation to the ‘logistics’ component to accommodate unexpected hikes in transportation prices and the general inefficiencies with power supply in the country is also advised.
Highlights
The globally synchronized switch from trivalent Oral Polio Vaccine to bivalent Oral Polio Vaccine took place in Nigeria on April 18th 2016
The transmission of wild poliovirus (WPV) has been limited to just three countries, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria [5]
Reports from 2016 showed that Pakistan and Afghanistan reported 20 and 13 WPV type1 (WPV1) cases respectively [5–7].Nigeria was readmitted to the list of polio endemic countries following the detection of four WPV1 cases and a single case of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 in August 2016 [8]
Summary
This was a descriptive retrospective review of Nigeria’s switch plan and structures used for implementing the tOPV-bOPV switch in the south-south zone. This study documents the switch from tOPV to bOPV in the south-south zone of Nigeria. This zone comprises of six states and 123 Local Government Areas (LGAs) namely: Akwa Ibom (31), Bayelsa (8), Cross-River (18), Edo (18), Delta (25) and Rivers (23). The zone is commonly referred to as the Niger Delta region of the country because it is located (in the southern part of Nigeria) at the point where the ‘Y’ tail the river Niger joins the Atlantic Ocean through the Gulf of Guinea.
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