House-to-House Social mobilization for Measles/Rubella SIAs in Rwanda,

March 2013

American Red Cross to RWANDA RED CROSS

Rwanda Country Profile

Area: 26,338 km2

2012 census Population: Total estimate = 11,689,696Population growth rate

estimated at 2.75% Life Expectancy was 58.44 yrsAge structure:

• 0-14 yrs: 42.6% (4,974,609) • 15-24 yrs: 19.2% (2,243,542) • 25-54 yrs: 32% (3,740,308) • 55-64 yrs: 3.8% (447,754) • > 65 years : 2.4% (283,483)

Country administrative structures

RWANDA As Country

RRC HQ

RRC Branch

RRC LC

RRC LC

Model village (10 volunteers

per village)

Rationale for introduction of Rubella vaccine & Measles 2nd Dose in Rwanda

1. Increasing burden of rubella from febrile-rash illness surveillance; Risk of Congenital Rubella syndrome as public health problem

2. Consultative discussion by EPI, MOH and partners on a program for sustaining the future purchase of MR vaccine

3. Opportunity to introduce measles 2nd dose and MR vaccines after the catch up SIAs Advantage of GAVI support to support MR introduction

campaign and vaccine supply for measles 2nd dose lasting 5yrs

Eliminate burden of measles affecting young adolescents Preparation for MCV2 introduction

MR vaccine Introduction Campaign Objectives

1. To give an opportunity to provide 2nd catch up dose of measles and a unique dose of rubella vaccine

2. To achieve at least 95% coverage among 9-15 years old children in every district during the campaign with MR and HPV vaccines• Integrated & targeted CRS and Cervical cancer prevention

3. To set stage for expansion of the scope of diseases covered by EPI as MR vaccines will available to all infants <1 year of age in the routine EPI following MR campaign

1. Comprehensive vaccinationo Measles and rubella (MR) catch-up campaigno Linkages and expansion of current routine EPI scheduleo Linkages for introduction of measles 2nd routine dose.

2. Establish Surveillance1.Integration of Rubella surveillance with case-based measles surveillance- Retrospective review of CRS ongoing2.Planning to establish sentinel site for CRS surveillance3. Adverse Event Following Immunization (AEFI) surveillance

• Launch communication for RCV introduction• Supervision, monitoring, evaluation & reporting

Strategy for MR vaccine Introduction in Rwanda

Major Communication Activities for MR SIAs in Rwanda

Advocacy:• Involved all the line ministries, and development partners e.g

UNICEF, WHO, UNFPA, Red Cross etc.• Involved district Mayors, Secretary of the Sectors• Meeting with the Sector secretary, CHWs & teachers at HC level

Mass Communication:• Engaged print and electronic media; emphasizing national and

community radios• Engaged mobile telephone companies to send bulk SMS• Developed and distributed IEC (posters, banners, leaflets)• Dissemination MR campaign message in the Umuganda; a

month gathering of the community members in their sectors

Major Communication Activities for MR SIAs Cont’d

Inter-personal Communication:• MR campaign messaging in the Umuganda; informed agent

leading a community dialogue in a monthly gathering of the community members in their sectors

• House -o-House Social Mobilization by Rwanda Red Cross volunteers in selected high-risk, Urbanized and high-population districts

Rwanda Red Cross Project for House-to-House Canvassing for MR SIAs

Project GoalTo contribute to reductions in morbidity and mortality due to Measles and Rubella diseases through increases in MR vaccine utilization and coverage.

Specific Project Objectives• Train at least 1,700 community volunteers in social

mobilization for MR vaccination • Conduct house and school visits to at least 90 percent of

households and the schools in 4 selected districts before the March 2013 MR vaccination campaign

• Assist all vaccination teams in 4 selected districts to reach at least 95% of all children <15yrs with MR vaccines

• To determine the major information sources on MR vaccination

GASABO15 sectors

73 cells486 villages

KICUKIRO10 sectors

39 cells332 villages NYARUGENGE

10 sectors47cells

357 villagesGISAGARA13 sectors

59 cells524 villages

48 sectors; 218 cells ; 1699 villages

Rwanda Red Cross Project Districts for House-to-House Canvassing

Major Activities of Rwanda Red Cross Project for H2H Canvassing for MR SIAs

Pre-Campaign Developed a guide for H2H Canvassing (including recording and

reporting tools) Training of Red Cross volunteers as MR Promotional Agents Conducted H2H visits for mobilization of community and registration

targeted children in the 4 selected districtsDuring the Campaign Days Red Cross Volunteers supported vaccination teams at all established

service delivery points, Post Campaign Red Cross volunteers conducted H2H visits in purposefully selected

households to trace for a) MR SIAs defaulters, b) Evaluate the community coverage of MR vaccination, c) Determine the most reliable sources of information and d) Detect any bad (adverse) events following immunizations

Rwanda Red Cross H2H Canvassing Project achievements (1)

• Recruited, trained and deployed 3,400 volunteers (two per village) in 4 districts.

• 213,159 households visited (70,4 % of households in the four districts) prior to the MR SIAs with 386,322 children aged 9 months to 14 years were pre-registered.

• Sensitisation/dialogue sessions were conducted in all registered Kindergarten, Primary and secondary schools in order to reinforce the uptake of MR and HPV vaccines.

Rwanda Red Cross H2H Canvassing Project achievements (2)

• Rwanda Red Cross procured 25,000 leaflets and 2,000 T-shirts to be used as identification and visibility materials for volunteers deployed to conduct the house to house canvassing for the integrated Measles/Rubella vaccination week

Rwanda Red Cross H2H Canvassing Project achievements (3)

RRC Volunteers support Crowd control at the posts

Holding children during vaccinations

Provision of Vitamin A and recording of children to be vaccinated

Rwanda Red Cross H2H Canvassing Project achievements (4)

Red Cross Volunteers supported provision of Vitamin A

Rwanda Red Cross H2H Canvassing Project achievements (5)

Rwanda Red Cross H2H Canvassing Project achievements (6)

Red Cross Volunteers recording of children to be vaccinated

Rwanda Red Cross H2H Canvassing Project Outcomes (1)

Rwanda Red Cross H2H Canvassing Project Outcomes (2)

Post Campaign H2H visits showed:

12,112 of the 12,220 (99%) children assessed reported to have received MR vaccines

10,686 of 12,220 (89%) children evaluated had written proof (MR Card) of vaccination

No major AEFI detected

Rwanda Red Cross H2H Canvassing Project Outcomes (3)

Post Campaign H2H visits Cont’d: 108 children found to have missed the MR SIA doseReasons for vaccination failure were tallied as:

a) Child was sick (31%), b) Lack of time (18%), c) Wrong ideas or misconceptions on MR vaccine (5%),d) Not knowing the place/site for vaccination (3%), e) Place for vaccination too far (2%) and f) Not knowing the need (1%).

Conclusions

• H2H canvassing by Red Cross Volunteers reaches an additional 25% of households with information on SIAs

• Vaccination site support by Red Cross volunteers improves the vaccination experience of HWs, parents & children

• Three out of the 27 districts in Rwanda did not attain 95% MR coverage

Recommendations

1. Support Periodic H2H canvassing forTracing routine MR and MCV-2 vaccination defaulters as

a strategy to sustain the highest possible coverageEstablishing a community surveillance system for febrile-

Rash illnessExploring community surveillance for CRS

2. The three districts that did not attain 95% MR coverage should be evaluated in-depth to inform targeted and additional support to raise coverage

3. Support training of Rwanda Red Cross Branch staff in Measles/Rubella elimination