Accelerating COVID-19 Vaccination Among People Living With HIV and Health Care Workers in Tanzania: A Case Study

Joint strategy and plan for COVID-19 vaccination uptake activities

Formation of National Vaccine Pillar with diverse stakeholders

Collaborative planning on developing microplans and implementation

Political and government leadership commitment at regional level

Timely availability and disbursement of funding

Unifying approaches took time

Delay of microplan implementation at lower levels

Use bottom-up approaches to reduce time

Enhance demand forecasting tools to improve reporting and communication across national and regional levels

Continuous awareness and education promotion to combat vaccine misconceptions

Incentives to reach vaccination targets

Used community health care workers to bridge gap to communities

Inadequate information on disease epidemiology, treatment, and vaccines

Lack of Internet connection at facilities to access and enter data systems

Create sustainable capacity building plans at regional and national levels

Advocate vaccination to influential local and national leaders, religious leaders, and important members of society

Standardized data collection tools through registers and weekly reports

Systematic collection of COVID-19 data from vaccination points to the national level through an online system

Periodic data reporting, verification, and feedback mechanism to lower levels

Delays in data entry led to backlogs

Lack of human resources to complete data entry

Build human capacity for data entry at vaccination points

Integrate data collection systems to national online systems

Engaged and sensitized key stakeholders across village, ward, district, regional, and national levels

Used peers and call back strategies to sensitize PLHIVs

Aired local and national media coverage of vaccination uptake and dialogues

One-on-one demand creation strategy effective at addressing myths

Types of vaccines affected acceptance rate

Variance of COVID-19 vaccination acceptance among rural versus urban communities

Competing family and community values

Maximize weekends to ensure no drop in vaccination progress

Engage government-specific HIV organizations and religious leaders to reach PLHIV network

Incorporate relevant media and press for widespread appeal and education

Single-dose vaccines accelerated vaccination coverage

Weekly monitoring of vaccine inventory

Stakeholders filled gap in transportation of vaccination distribution

Unable to meet demand for single dose vaccines

Lack of daily vaccination monitoring at facility levels

Vaccine wastage due to short half life

Consider client vaccination preference when forecasting demand

Increase capacity for cold chain vaccination storage

Integrated COVID-19 vaccination activities at HIV clinics and community ART outreach services

Merged vaccination activities with mass gatherings such as political events, religious gatherings, markets, sport outings, and sociocultural events

Employed vaccine champions for hard-to-reach populations

Political will and support from leaders at national and subnational levels

Lack of knowledge, misconceptions, and stigma around COVID-19

Logistic shortages including intermittent supply of vaccines, limited trained staff, lack of transport, small number of vaccination certificates

Low commitment and buy-in among health care providers

Multifaceted approach of door-to-door, temporary fixed points, integration with other services, and community gatherings

Improve logistic vaccination shortages to ensure consistent availability of supply

Involve stakeholders at all levels to increase political will and vaccination support