Influence of the 2014–2015 Ebola outbreak on the vaccination of children in a rural district of Guinea
There is a need to sustain vaccination activities to remain resilient and responsive, irrespective of disease outbreaks
Abstract
Setting
All health centres in Macenta District, rural Guinea
Objective
To compare stock-outs of vaccines, vaccine stock cards and the administration of various childhood vaccines across the pre-Ebola, Ebola and post-Ebola virus disease periods
Design
This was an ecological study.
Results
Similar levels of stock-outs were observed for all vaccines (bacille Calmette–Guérin [BCG], pentavalent, polio, measles, yellow fever) in the pre-Ebola and Ebola periods (respectively 2760 and 2706 facility days of stock-outs), with some variation by vaccine. Post-Ebola, there was a 65-fold reduction in stock-outs compared to pre-Ebola. Overall, 24 facility-months of vaccine stock card stock-outs were observed during the pre-Ebola period, which increased to 65 facility-months of stock-outs during the Ebola outbreak period; no such stock-out occurred in the post-Ebola period. Apart from yellow fever and measles, vaccine administration declined universally during the peak outbreak period (August–November 2014). Complete cessation of vaccine administration for BCG and a prominent low for polio (86% decrease) were observed in April 2014, corresponding to vaccine stock-outs. Post-Ebola, overall vaccine administration did not recover to pre-Ebola levels, with the highest gaps seen in polio and pentavalent vaccines, which had shortages of respectively 40% and 38%
Conclusion
These findings highlight the need to sustain vaccination activities in Guinea so that they remain resilient and responsive, irrespective of disease outbreaks.
This research was supported by the UK Department for International Development’s Operational Research Capacity Building Programme led by the International Union Against TB and Lung Disease (The Union)
Citation
Camara BS, Delamou AM, Diro E, El Ayadi A, Béavogui AH, Sidibé S, Grovogui FM, Takarinda KC, Kolié D, Sandouno SD, Okumura J, Baldé MD, Van Griensven J, Zachariah R. Influence of the 2014–2015 Ebola outbreak on the vaccination of children in a rural district of Guinea. Public Health Action. 2017;7(2):161–7.