This issue of The Double Loop is a bit different. Rather than highlighting experiences from multiple members of the Movement for IA2030 around one theme, in this issue we follow one Movement member, Wasnam Faye, in her immunization journey during the period 2019 - 2023.
Finding herself suddenly responsible for vaccination in seven villages at a health post in rural Senegal, Wasnam - a midwife by training - found salvation in the Geneva Learning Foundation’s network and platform of immunization staff from all over the world, galvanized by Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030), who offered advice, practical guidance and emotional support. By listening to caregivers and finding out why they were not taking up services, she went on to transform coverage in the communities she serves.
Your experience and insights help other members of the Movement for IA2030. Click on the link at the end of each section to share:
If you are a donor, partner, or researcher interested in these insights, we encourage you to share your thoughts or write directly to Ian Steed, Insights Unit Editor.
What are the challenges you have faced where the support you were getting from your organisation was not enough? What have you learned from colleagues in immunization in other countries? How did they support you? What worked - or did not work?
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“In 2019, I suddenly found myself in charge of the Pout-Diack public health post in the Thiès Health District of Senegal. At the time, long before the launch of the Movement for Immunization Agenda (IA2030), I knew almost nothing about immunization. Fortunately, through the Geneva Learning Foundation I was able to connect with experienced experts in neighbouring countries who were able to guide me through the running of immunization services and helped me improve our health post’s performance. For Penta3, for example, we’ve increased covered from 8.3% to 82%.”
“In Senegal, health posts are facilities within a district. They are headed by either a nurse or a midwife. My health post covers seven villages within an 8 km radius and provides services to a population of 8900 inhabitants. I am the first midwife to be transferred to this health post. **I was sent here following a request by the village women, who wrote to the regional authorities asking for someone to take care of the health needs of women. As a midwife, I am responsible for everything related to maternal and child health in the facility, including immunization.”
“I trained as a midwife, and to start with I knew very little about immunization, just what I had been taught in school, where we received training on vaccine-preventable diseases, antigens, vaccine doses and how to administer vaccines. We did not learn how to organize and manage vaccination sessions, what tools are needed or how to use them.”
”When I was posted here, I applied to the Ministry of Health for training on immunization, but those requests take time to be processed. I was trained on vaccine delivery, stock management and data management. As for how to manage a health facility, I learned it on the job.”
“My first contact with the Geneva Learning Foundation was in 2019 when I applied to join a WHO Scholar course. I received the link to apply for the course from a friend who shared it in our nursing school alumni’s WhatsApp group. Unfortunately, I was not able to finish because of my workload and inability to manage my time well enough.”
“I was disappointed in myself for not completing this course as it was very valuable to me. So, I decided to make every effort to complete the next course, which was the Teach to Reach course to learn how to improve immunization training. Later on, I joined the COVID-19 Peer Hub where we developed and implemented recovery plans and got ready for vaccine introduction by sharing our experience of countering vaccine hesitancy. Both of those programmes, I completed successfully. And then, in March 2022, I joined the Movement for Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) and participated in the IA2030 activities offered by TGLF.”
“When I started, I needed help with the basics, including how to record daily immunization data. I was fortunate to get help from several Scholars, who had first supported me as Accompanists, particularly Dr Ousseynou in Lubumbashi in the DRC, who took me under his wing and patiently explained what I needed to do. (Accompanists are alumni who volunteer to help new participants.)”