Summary

In this study session, you have learned that:

1. Proper planning is a crucial step in all your immunization activities. If you do not plan properly, you are likely to fail in reaching your targets.
2. Planning consists of six steps: assessing the community’s health needs, identifying and prioritising problems to be addressed, setting goals and objectives, agreeing strategies and activites in the annual action plan (including resource requirements), implementing the service, and monitoring and evaluating progress towards meeting the targets.
3. Planning should be carried out in consultation with the district health team and kebele leaders, agreed with all relevant stakeholders and reviewed regularly.
4. There are three types of immunization service delivery: fixed site, outreach and mobile services. Resource planning requires additional community participation at outreach or mobile delivery sites to set up the immunization workplace. The cold chain must be maintained at all times.
5. At every immunization session, all required information must be entered into the EPI Registration Book, the clients’ immunization record cards, the Family Folder, the tally sheet and the Vaccine Stock Register.
6. The mother or carer of each child brought for immunization should be given a clear explanation of the importance of the immunization record card, when next to bring the child and any possible adverse events following immunization, how to treat them and what to do if a reaction is serious.