The National Vaccine Institute (NVI) has launched the Adverse Events Following Immunisation (AEFI) reporting toolkit to enhance the monitoring and management of adverse events that may occur after vaccinations.
The toolkit is designed to streamline reporting processes, ensuring the timely detection and appropriate management of AEFI cases among health workers.
It is expected to contribute to the credibility of immunisation programmes in the country and prevent inappropriate responses to reports of AEFI which could lead to vaccine hesitancy among the population.
Speaking at the ceremony yesterday in Accra, the Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NVI, Dr Sodzi Sodzi-Tettey, disclosed that the toolkit would be piloted in two regions; Eastern and Central as part of efforts to improve vaccine safety.
He noted that over the years, there had been significant gaps in reporting AEFI among healthcare workers in the regions.
“Underreporting of adverse events severely impairs our capacity to effectively manage and mitigate risks associated with vaccines.
Regrettably, the omission of side effect reports by healthcare workers creates significant knowledge gaps, compromising our comprehensive understanding of vaccine safety.”
Dr Sodzi-Tettey noted that the toolkit marked a crucial step in enhancing vaccine safety and pharmacovigilance in Ghana.
A senior researcher at African Collaborating Centre for Pharmacovigilance (ACC), Dr Sharon Laryea, explained that the toolkit would help overcome the barriers of AEFT reporting.
“Our evaluation revealed an interesting finding: healthcare workers prefer hands-on, activity-based training over traditional methods. This approach yielded positive results, as participants who engaged in interactive training sessions demonstrated better understanding and reporting of AEFI,” she said.
She added that, “healthcare workers would undergo training to equip their knowledge on the new AEFI reporting.”
Additionally, Dr Laryea said integrating AEFI reporting training into the health system orientation programmes for new employees would ensure seamless onboarding, and enhanced reporting practices.
The Director of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), Dr Kwame Amponsah-Achiano, said Ghana’s pursuit of local vaccine manufacturing must be driven by the need to address underreporting of adverse events following immunisation (AEFI).
“Regarding vaccine hesitancy, this toolkit is primarily designed for healthcare workers; it can indirectly help restore confidence in vaccines among parents and caregivers,” he said.
Dr Amponsah-Achiano noted that “by empowering healthcare workers to effectively report and address AEFI, they can better communicate with parents and encourage them to report any concerns.”
“This, in turn, can foster a culture of transparency and trust, ultimately contributing to increased vaccine confidence,” he stated.
BY ABIGAIL ANNOH
Politics7 months ago
