The Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) was introduced under the Universal Immunization Program (UIP) in Gujarat in October 2021. In July 2022, as per the Health Management Information System (HMIS) portal, the administrative coverage for PCV-1 (1
In response, the state health department with technical support from John Snow India (JSI) developed a comprehensive coverage improvement plan with the following key elements:
- Intensive monitoring and review: Regular comprehensive reviews in different forums (State Task Force & monthly review meetings) were conducted. These reviews allowed stakeholders to assess the current status of PCV coverage, identify bottlenecks, and develop strategies for improvement. Regular telephonic conversations with poor-performing districts were also carried out to provide guidance and support along with tracking the progress of PCV coverage data reported on HMIS.
- Regular field visits: Visits to districts with low coverage by state officials & immunization partners allowed them to understand local challenges, identify reasons for low coverage, and provide on-ground support and guidance to improve coverage. Subsequently, letters were issued to the low-performing districts for improving coverage.
- Streamlining data entry in HMIS: The HMIS (national-level portal) was updated with data from the local state portal in less than a month. This step ensured accurate and up-to-date information on PCV coverage. By streamlining data entry processes, the health department could monitor the progress of PCV coverage more effectively.
These efforts paid rich dividends and in just 5 months the coverage of PCV-1 increased from 56% (July 2022) to 90% (Dec 2022). These simple but effective steps of regular monitoring of the program along with effective data management can be replicated in other geographies for improving the coverage of PCV and other vaccines in UIP.
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Authors: Dr. Nayan P. Jani, Additional Director (Family Welfare), Government of Gujarat; Dr. Kamlesh Parmar, State Immunization Officer, Government of Gujarat; Dr. Divya Rathee, State Technical Officer, John Snow India; Ms. Seema Singh Koshal, Program Manager, John Snow India.