Ongoing Research Projects

RESEARCH PROJECT/STUDY 1

REPORTING OF AEFIS IN INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS IN NAIROBI, KENYA

Principal Investigators: Lawrence Owino-Okongo^1,2 Ombeva Malande^2,3

 Collaborators: Collins Tabu⁴, collaborator 2⁴, Collaborator 3⁵, Andrew Musyoki⁶, Rose Burnett⁷, James Kipsang², Carolyne Chemweno², Mutunga Nzoka², Carine Dochez⁷

COLLABORATING ORGANIZATIONS

1. University of Nairobi, Department of Paediatrics & Child Health
2. East Africa Centre for Vaccines and Immunization (ECAVI)
3. Egerton University, Department of Paediatrics & Child Health
4. Ministry of Health Kenya/ Division of Vaccines and Immunisation
5. World Health Organization (WHO)- Kenya
6. South African Vaccine and Immunization Centre (SAVIC)
7. Network for Education and Support in Immunisation (NESI)

INTRODUCTION

Immunization is the most successful and cost-effective intervention in prevention of infectious diseases.  The vaccines currently used for routine childhood immunization are approved as safe and effective. However, vaccination occasionally leads to undesirable effects including adverse reactions that are referred to as Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI), frequent adverse events following immunization often because illnesses and sometimes loss of public trust in immunization programs. The immunization program in Kenya (KEPI) was started in 1980, “but there are only three cases of AEFI reported at the national level to date” (Ministry of Health; Division of Vaccines & Immunization (DVI), “Guidelines on Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) in Kenya,” 2013). These adverse events are of concern and are believed to be caused by immunization. Health workers should be spontaneously reporting cases of suspected adverse events following immunisation (AEFI), they play a central role in monitoring immunization safety, but little is known about how health workers recognise and report adverse events following immunisation (AEFI).

An adverse event following immunization is defined as any untoward medical occurrence which occurs after immunization and which does not necessarily have a causal relationship with the usage of the vaccine. Usually AEFI can be either caused by the vaccine or immunization process (causally associated) or a coincidental event that, by chance, happened after immunization (temporally associated).There are three types of AEFIs caused by immunization, these are caused by: The inherent properties of the vaccine (vaccine reaction), An error in the immunization process (programme error), Injection-related reactions arising from anxiety about or pain of the injection

STUDY QUESTIONS

This activity seeks to answer the following questions

1. Are there any adverse events following immunization (AEFI) in Kenya?
2. Why is there low reporting of adverse events following immunization (AEFI) in Kenya?
3. What are the knowledge, experience, perception, and practice levels on AEFI surveillance among health workers in Kenya?
4. What is the knowledge, experience, and attitude of Health workers towards detecting and reporting AEFI
5. In what ways can the Health workers advocate for public trust in immunization programs in the communities to reduce drop outs?
6. How to equip the health workers and service providers with knowledge and skills to manage, adverse events following immunization (AEFI).