Changes in Expanded Program for Immunization coverage for mother and child in Krakor, Cambodia 1996--1998

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Global Health
• Health Systems Strengthening

Background:

• The Expanded Program for Immunization (EPI) is crucial for child survival.
• Effective implementation relies on trained health personnel and community volunteers.
• Gaps in immunization coverage persist in many low-resource settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of a training intervention on immunization coverage.
• To evaluate the enhanced roles of health centre staff, Village Health Volunteers (VHVs), and Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs).
• To measure changes in EPI coverage in Krakor district, Cambodia.

Main Methods:

• Population-based surveys conducted at baseline (1996) and post-intervention (1998).
• Utilized mother and child health card data and historical records.
• Analyzed coverage rates for key EPI vaccines including tetanus, BCG, polio, and DTP.

Main Results:

• Statistically significant increases in immunization coverage were observed over the 2-year period.
• Improvements noted for tetanus, BCG, polio, and DTP vaccines.
• The training intervention demonstrated a positive impact on overall EPI coverage.

Conclusions:

• The training intervention effectively enhanced immunization service delivery.
• Strengthening the roles of healthcare staff and community volunteers improves EPI coverage.
• The study supports the scalability of such interventions in similar settings.