RESUMEN
In 2009, the international Stop Transmission of Polio (STOP) program began supporting the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in the Republic of South Sudan to address shortages of human resources and strengthen acute flaccid paralysis surveillance. Workforce capacity support is provided to the South Sudan Expanded Program on Immunization by STOP volunteers, implementing partners, and non-governmental organizations. In 2013, the Polio Technical Advisory Group recommended that South Sudan transition key technical support from external partners to national staff as part of the Polio Eradication and Endgame Strategic Plan, 2013-2018. To assist in this transition, the South Sudan Expanded Program on Immunization human resources development project was launched in 2015. This 3-year project aims to build national workforce capacity as a legacy of the STOP program by training 56 South Sudanese at national and state levels with the intent that participants would become Ministry of Health staff on their successful completion of the project.
Asunto(s)
Erradicación de la Enfermedad/organización & administración , Programas de Inmunización/organización & administración , Poliomielitis/prevención & control , Creación de Capacidad , Salud Global , Personal de Salud , Humanos , Sudán del Sur , Recursos HumanosRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Intermittent preventive treatment in infants (IPTi) is a new malaria control strategy coupled with the delivery of routine immunizations recommended by the World Health Organization since 2009 for countries with moderate to high endemicity. To evaluate its safety profile and identify potential new adverse events (AEs) following simultaneous administration of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP-IPTi) with immunizations, we measured AE incidence and evaluated spontaneous AE reporting. METHODS: A cohort event monitoring study was conducted on 24 000 infants in 2 countries after administration of SP-IPTi during routine immunizations. Additional pharmacovigilance training and supervision were conducted to stimulate AE passive reporting in 6 African countries. RESULTS: No serious AEs were found by active follow-up, representing 95% probability that the rate does not exceed 1 per 8000. No serious AEs were found by retrospective review of hospital registers. The rate of moderate AEs probably linked to immunization and/or SP-IPTi was 1.8 per 1000 doses (95% confidence interval, 1.50-2.00). Spontaneous reporting of AEs remained <1% of cases collected by active follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Simultaneous administration of SP-IPTi and immunizations is a safe strategy for implementation with a low risk of serious AEs to infants. Strategies toward strengthening spontaneous reporting in Africa should include not only the provider but also beneficiaries or their caregivers.