Improving Timeliness of Birth Dose Vaccines in 15 Health Facilities in Cameroon Through Integrating Immunizations Into Maternity and Newborn Care Services: A Feasibility Assessment

In the Cameroon Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI), the birth dose vaccine for oral polio vaccine (OPV-0) and tuberculosis vaccine (BCG), are recommended with a third birth dose vaccine for hepatitis B (HepB-BD) being considered for introduction.

Although Cameroon introduced the HepB antigen as part of the Pentavalent vaccine into the immunization program in 2005, infants are currently unprotected until the first Penta shot at six weeks. Introduction of HepB-BD is a key priority for the Cameroon government through the National Cancer Strategy document as well as the Hepatitis Prevention and Treatment Guidelines. However, the timeliness of administration of Hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth is critical to ensure the highest efficacy and prevent transmission of the virus.

While coverage rates for BCG and OPV 0 are relatively high (91% and 78% respectively), these vaccines are often administered weeks or months after birth , not within the 24-hour timeframe recommended for Hepatitis B birth dose. Therefore, there are concerns from the Cameroon National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NITAG) and other stakeholders on the feasibility of achieving high timely coverage of HepB-BD. The timeliness of administration of the birth dose vaccines within facilities relies on many system components including integrated processes between maternity and immunization units and healthcare worker awareness of birth dose administration guidelines.

The main aim of this pilot study is to assess the feasibility of immunizing newborns with BCG and OPV0 (and eventually HepB-BD) within 24 hours of birth by integrating routine immunization into maternity and immediate newborn care in 15 facilities in Cameroon.

Further, the specific objectives of this pilot study are to: