Operations and impact of Ghana's immunisation programme Leveraging lessons and experiences to strengthen programme implementation

Introduction
Ghana’s immunisation programme is recognized for its high performance especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. Over a six-year period (2018-2023), the programme has witnessed key events including vaccine introductions, response to vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) outbreaks, and policy changes, among others. Gaps in programmatic performance continue to exist, partly because contextually generated data are not optimized to inform decision making. The research in this thesis explored and documented the successes and challenges of the immunisation programme, drawing lessons to improve operations.
Methods
A mixed study design was conducted from 2018 to 2023. Data was collected at the national, regional, and district levels of the health system. Data sources included district health information system (DHIS), national surveys (Demographic and Health Survey), programme reports, healthcare workers and community members. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were conducted.
Results
Eight peer-reviewed manuscripts under three thematic areas namely new vaccine introductions, vaccine acceptability, and impact of vaccination on the burden of VPDs were published. The immunisation programme demonstrated enormous strength in new vaccine introductions and contributed significantly to reducing morbidity and mortality from VPDs. However, programme sustainability is threatened by the ever-emerging issues of vaccine hesitancy and inadequate funding.
Conclusion
Despite the remarkable achievements of Ghana’s immunisation programme, implementing appropriate communication strategies could improve vaccine acceptance. Additionally, there is the need for local resource mobilisation to sustain the programme and health partners should consider leading the charge.