Towards making immunization programmes in Africa more successful: a primer on implementation research

There is a protracted lag in efforts to widen access and uptake of routine vaccination services in Africa. As a result, vaccine-preventable diseases continue to remain a major public health challenge. The increasing adoption of implementation research in global health is an opportunity for immunization programmes to leverage new tools in tackling long-standing implementation barriers to vaccination efforts. Implementation research in immunization programmes can strengthen how contextual barriers hindering vaccination efforts are identified and addressed with sustainable, context-appropriate, and practical strategies. In this primer, which is targeted at country-level immunization decision-makers and implementers, we discussed the meaning of implementation research and the value addition it can bring in fast-tracking programmatic success when integrated into all aspects of the immunization landscape."