While regular supply of immunizations and outpatient cards which are dependent on federal supply sources remained problematic throughout the study period, CHEWs subsequently received a fairly stable supply of essential drugs, with political, administrative, and financial support from the Gunduma Health System Board and Jahun LGA authorities.
"The generous funding of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will be instrumental to ensure a steady supply of OPV for immunization campaigns in Niger," said Guido Cornale, UNICEF Representative in Niger.
The immunization gap is created by a host of factors: a lack of access to health care, prohibitively expensive vaccines, an inadequate supply, wars, a shortage of immunization data, lackluster political support, meager financial resources, illogical fears, and a dearth of knowledge about where to get vaccines.
The grant also covers procurement of immunization supplies, and the introduction to the region of an integrated child-health strategy which aims to reduce death, illness and disability, and to promote improved growth and development among under 5s.
In this structure, mechanisms equate to interventions or actions taken to implement the driver and the effect is the outcome (defined in terms of supply of and demand for immunization).
Since 1996, UNICEF and its partners – including the World Health Organization, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Bank and the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization – have supplied refrigeration equipment for thousands of immunization posts and supported the establishment of cold-chain maintenance units at public health institutes in five countries in the region.
Another important aspect of immunization is herd immunity.
In a system analysis conducted in 1995, the logistics project of WHO's African Regional Office AFROO) identified the failure to systematically fund sufficient supplies of injection devices as part of immunization services as a key determinant of widespread reuse of syringes and needles in absence of sterilization [ 4].
The social and economic changes following the dissolution of the USSR and redefinition of national borders in south central Europe impacted the programme with delivery of immunization services and vaccine supply being disrupted in many parts of the region.
