Health workers vaccination: Experience and lessons learned from Costa Rica

To describe the decision-making processes, enablers, challenges and lessons learned in Costa Rica for implementing a sustained and multi-pronged approach in health workers vaccination (HW).

A retrospective descriptive analysis was conducted by searching published and grey literature, including scientific publications, legislation, decrees, policies, manuals, technical reports, and platforms used for data register and coverage monitoring. Key informants from the Ministry of Health (MoH), the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS) were interviewed representing national, subnational and local levels; as well as members of the National Technical Advisory Group (NITAG) and the private sector. Collected data were transcribed and categorized by the following specific topics using a thematic content analysis approach: decision making process, pre-service screening, vaccination for current HWs and engagement with the private sector. Major findings were discussed and organized into enablers, challenges and lessons learned.

Decision making processes to establish the vaccination strategies and schedules in Costa Rica were based on the epidemiological trends of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) and cost analysis. Risk assessment and feasibility considerations determined that some vaccines such as hepatitis B, varicella and influenza, were first introduced in HWs and then were expanded to other target populations. These decisions were approved by the NITAG as the advisory technical advisory group of the MoH. Main enablers identified were: high level and sustained political will, decisions based on data analysis and feasibility considerations, HWs knowledge and high vaccine acceptance and demand. Challenges were related to effective coverage monitoring, and private sector engagement.

The Costa Rican experience provides lessons learned that can be leveraged by other countries to strengthen HWs vaccination strategies at regional and global levels.