Masters in Emergency Response and Risk Management: Major in Community Vaccination Programmes

Delivery & Workload Management

Dr Quentin highlights these key areas of management to be included in this topic:

• “Prior planning and simulated response drills (disaster preparedness plans) highlight areas that are deficient and need covering. They can test communication channels and systems and alert the coordinators and managers on areas that need resolving. In our Covid response the emergency drills were fundamental to the success when the virus attacked the island.
• Factor in the lifestyle/current situation of the community to ensure vaccination is a success: Consult with the community leaders about where to set up a vaccination clinic at the disaster zone.
• The community will be your partner in delivery of the vaccines. They need to have a voice in helping to ensure service needs.
• Arrange as clean a site as possible to conduct the vaccine program..
• Register patients, crowd control, waiting areas with social distancing.
• Home or residential visits where necessary.
• Vehicles and transport, managing staff accommodation and meals.
• Arrange set times for meetings with community leaders.
• Planning on obtaining feedback and micro planning data to ensure adequate coverage.
• Use of tracking tools to monitor immunization
• Work with NGO’s, community leaders, groups at grassroots level to share tools and guidelines.
• Inform key leaders such as religious and community leaders about the availability of services, obtain cooperation and support.
• Train health workers and community educators to strengthen interpersonal communication skills, give correct information and motivate them to improve delivery of services.“

Establishment & Communication

Pre-Clinic, During the Clinic, and Post-Clinic procedures will enable a successful deployment of vaccination in both developed and developing nations & communities. From checking for medical contraindications and allergies before vaccinating
anyone to safe handling of needles and syringes, to multilingual & culturally appropriate communication documentation, you will gather resources from around the world, analyze their appropriateness and create a suite of go-to documents for customization across the world. You will be the vaccination clinic’s designated leader as the clinic coordinator/ supervisor, able to identify and coordinate the compound facilities within the constraints of your local environment.

Additionally, Dr Quentin emphasizes the following:

• “Establish links with local community leaders
• Establish local centres for vaccines and hold talks to educate the communities, some communities are refusing to have the vaccine because of a myriad of rumours surrounding conspiracy theories.
• Emphasize and learn how to use communication tools to enhance adequate vaccine cover, particularly with Social media and the need for each message to be vetted for:
• Health workers
• Local leaders
• Community Groups
• Radio
• Social media
• Printed material“

Logistics

While air freight has been the initial focus for vaccine distribution due to its cold-chain advantages and quicker time-to-market, limited capacity – not to mention the growing list of vaccine candidates that can be transported in standard refrigerated units – this means that container transport has an important long-term role to play in the supply of vaccines and associated equipment to key markets. From developer, to transportation, to secure holding, to vaccination cycling… logistics are a critical component in saving lives. The way this happens in a developed nation is different to a developing nation. Develop your knowledge and expertise in this challenging area through this comprehensive programme.

Create your own guidelines and best practices for vaccine shipment, transport, storage, handling, preparation, administration, and documentation using International and Local Guidelines.
(Local and International Guidelines are to be emphasized so that the candidates realize that they always have to maintain compliance to relevant authorities and bodies).