Increasing Immunisation Coverage in Uganda: The Community Problem Solving and Strategy Development Approach

Published by Basics II in 2003, this 4-page brief aims to describe the Community Problem Solving and Strategy Development (CPSSD) approach as applied in Uganda and its alignment with the Reaching Every District (RED) strategy developed and supported by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI). Moreover, it reports on the results of the CPSSD approach, including improvements in immunisation coverage, declines in drop-out rates, and improvements in health worker and parent interpersonal communication.

"During the past decade, immunisation coverage in Uganda has been as low as 30% in some districts. Poor social mobilisation and insufficient community participation are two of the reasons identified as major contributing factors for poor coverage. A Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices survey in 1998 found that health workers were deficient in their understanding of immunisation and that community participation in immunisation services was low, despite the willingness of communities to fully support programs. The existing top-down approach of the health system and the lack of capacity building in interpersonal skills for health workers were found to be critical inhibitors to a successful immunisation program."

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Below are related training modules, developed by the Uganda Expanded Program on Immunisation (UNEPI) and BASICS II, for implementing the CPSSD approach:

CPSSD - Introduction to the Approach and Description of Facilitator Training [PDF, 2.5 MB]

CPSSD - Facilitators' Guide: Consultation I [PDF, 3.8 MB]

CPSSD - Facilitators' Guide: Consultation II [PDF, 988 KB]

Click here to read a related "Strategic Thinking" summary of this article.