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Rachlin A, Adegoke OJ, Sikare E, Adeoye OB, Dagoe E, Adeyelu A, Tolentino H, MacGregor J, Obasi S, Adah G, Garba AB, Abah AU, Friday J, Oyiri F, Porter AM, Olajide L, Wilson I, Usman R, Usifoh N, Fasogbon O, Franka R, Ghiselli M, Nguku P, Waziri N, Lam E, Bolu O. Lessons learned from early implementation of the Growing Expertise in E-health Knowledge and Skills (GEEKS) program in Nigeria, 2019 - 2021. Pan Afr Med J 2023; 46:81. [PMID: 38314230 PMCID: PMC10837273 DOI: 10.11604/pamj.2023.46.81.38588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction the Growing Expertise in E-health Knowledge and Skills (GEEKS) program is an applied apprenticeship program that aims to improve informatics capacity at various levels of the national health system and create a sustainable informatics workforce. Nigeria adapted the GEEKS model in 2019 as a mechanism to strengthen data quality and use of routine immunization (RI) and vaccine-preventable disease (VPD) surveillance data among Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) staff. Since the start of the GEEKS-EPI program, there has not been a formal assessment conducted to measure the extent to which GEEKS-EPI has been able to build local informatics workforce capacity and strengthen RI and VPD surveillance (VPDS) data quality and use in Nigeria. Methods we conducted a qualitative assessment to inform the extent to which GEEKS-EPI has been able to build informatics skillsets to enhance local workforce capacity, foster collaboration across government agencies, and create a sustainable informatics workforce in Nigeria. In-Depth Interviews (IDIs) and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were held with GEEKS-EPI supervisors, mentors, and mentees from previous GEEKS-EPI cohorts. Results while there were challenges reported during early implementation of the GEEKS-EPI program in Nigeria, particularly early on in the COVID-19 pandemic, participants and supervisors reported that the fellowship provided a framework for building a sustainable RI and VPDS informatics workforce through regular mentorship, peer-to-peer exchanges and Subject Matter Expert (SME)-led trainings. Conclusion lessons learned from early implementation of GEEKS-EPI in Nigeria will help to inform its implementation in other countries, where strengthened national RI and VPDS informatics capacity is the primary objective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Rachlin
- Global Immunization Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Oluwasegun Joel Adegoke
- Global Immunization Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Ester Sikare
- Global Immunization Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Olorunsogo Bidemi Adeoye
- National Stop Transmission of Polio (NSTOP) Program, African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Edward Dagoe
- Global Immunization Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Asekun Adeyelu
- Global Immunization Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Herman Tolentino
- Division of Global HIV and Tuberculosis, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Jan MacGregor
- Peraton Inc, Herndon, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Samuel Obasi
- Department of Planning, Research and Statistics, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (PRS-NPHCDA), Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Gabriel Adah
- National Stop Transmission of Polio (NSTOP) Program, African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Abdullahi Bulama Garba
- Department of Planning, Research and Statistics, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (PRS-NPHCDA), Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Angela Ukpojo Abah
- National Stop Transmission of Polio (NSTOP) Program, African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Josiah Friday
- National Stop Transmission of Polio (NSTOP) Program, African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Ferdinand Oyiri
- The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Angela Montesanti Porter
- Global Immunization Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Lois Olajide
- The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Idongesit Wilson
- National Stop Transmission of Polio (NSTOP) Program, African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Ramatu Usman
- National Stop Transmission of Polio (NSTOP) Program, African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Nnamdi Usifoh
- National Stop Transmission of Polio (NSTOP) Program, African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Olasoji Fasogbon
- National Stop Transmission of Polio (NSTOP) Program, African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Richard Franka
- Global Immunization Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Margherita Ghiselli
- Global Immunization Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Patrick Nguku
- National Stop Transmission of Polio (NSTOP) Program, African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Ndadilnasiya Waziri
- National Stop Transmission of Polio (NSTOP) Program, African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Eugene Lam
- Global Immunization Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Omotayo Bolu
- Global Immunization Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
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Wassilak SGF, Williams CL, Murrill CS, Dahl BA, Ohuabunwo C, Tangermann RH. Using Acute Flaccid Paralysis Surveillance as a Platform for Vaccine-Preventable Disease Surveillance. J Infect Dis 2017; 216:S293-S298. [PMID: 28838175 PMCID: PMC5853448 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiw593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Surveillance for acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) is a fundamental cornerstone of the global polio eradication initiative (GPEI). Active surveillance (with visits to health facilities) is a critical strategy of AFP surveillance systems for highly sensitive and timely detection of cases. Because of the extensive resources devoted to AFP surveillance, multiple opportunities exist for additional diseases to be added using GPEI assets, particularly because there is generally 1 district officer responsible for all disease surveillance. For this reason, integrated surveillance has become a standard practice in many countries, ranging from adding surveillance for measles and rubella to integrated disease surveillance for outbreak-prone diseases (integrated disease surveillance and response). This report outlines the current level of disease surveillance integration in 3 countries (Nepal, India, and Nigeria) and proposes that resources continue for long-term maintenance in resource-poor countries of AFP surveillance as a platform for surveillance of vaccine-preventable diseases and other outbreak-prone diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven G F Wassilak
- Global Immunization Division, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Cheryl L Williams
- Global Immunization Division, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Christopher S Murrill
- Global Immunization Division, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Benjamin A Dahl
- Global Immunization Division, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Chima Ohuabunwo
- Global Immunization Division, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Rudolf H Tangermann
- Polio Eradication Department, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
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