Gavi’s Zero-Dose Learning Hub (ZDLH) conducted surveys with digital platform and network managers and their users in order to better understand how these platforms and networks are currently being used by immunization practitioners working to identify and reach zero-dose (ZD) children—including in applying Gavi’s IRMMA framework. The manager survey sought to understand global usage as well as reach within Gavi’s four Country Learning Hub (CLH) countries (Bangladesh, Mali, Nigeria, Uganda), and platform capabilities specifically relevant for ZD challenges that could be used to amplify targeted messaging, especially for the ZDLH. The user survey sought to understand which platforms are being used to support ZD work, and the types of platform-based learning that are most useful to immunization practitioners in addressing ZD challenges. This analysis provides a foundation for understanding better how platforms that include ZD content are being used, and will inform decision-making on routes of dissemination of information related to addressing ZD challenges, including in the context of applying Gavi’s IRMMA framework. This analysis also suggests how the diverse scope and approach of different sites can be leveraged to strengthen engagement with target audiences globally and in low- and middle-income countries.
The ZDLH is working to connect immunization practitioners around the world with important information and resources to support their work in identifying and reaching zero-dose children. To add your platform to this repository, contact the ZDLH team at zero_dose@jsi.com.
CORE Group
CORE Group is a non-profit with members that work as technical experts across the world. Many of its members, as well as CORE Group itself, work on reaching zero-dose children, through our immunization programmes, communications, knowledge management, advocacy, learning and convening. Website makes available multiple resources technical briefs are regularly shared with members and the International Community Health Network, hosted by the CORE Group. Read more
ZD role: The platform contributes to technical approaches and solutions in reaching zero-dose children, in development and fragile settings. It contributes to advocacy, communications, knowledge management, and convenings. Its members are technical practitioners and provide direct feedback around solutions and challenges in reaching zero-dose children. It also supports integration with water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), nutrition, family planning, and other initiatives.
Key activities
- Webinar series with high levels of country engagement on integration of different sectors and reaching zero-dose children. Four countries provided their solutions, with wide representation from Asia, Africa and the US.
- A learning agenda has been developed with the ZIP programme consortia for fragile and humanitarian states, alongside a learning tool for practitioners to capture regular and consistent learning, in alignment with the learning questions.
- A global roundtable was organized, addressing gender, political will, nutrition, research, investments, and other technical areas to address coverage and policy for zero-dose children.
Platform partners
- Non-profits, research institutions, private sector, practitioners (nurses, doctors, CHWs, students, researchers, public health officials), government technical advisors.
Endorsement by ZDLH Country Learning Hub MoH EPI
- None
ZD events and activities organized in last 6 months
- 10
Publicly available ZD resources
- Multiple resources and technical briefs, webinars, etc. on platform and distributed throughout listservs
Evidence of use
- Self or internal evaluation and reporting
- Analytics of click rates and countries opening; focus groups and individual interviews surrounding use of products, webinars, etc. are conducted.
Immunization Academy
IA Watch offers over 150 short, video lessons based on WHO guidance, each teaching an essential immunization skill. IA Learn offers free, self-paced online courses teaching a series of skills related to specific immunization topics. Read more
ZD role: To identify and reach zero-dose and under-immunized children, countries will need a skilled and motivated workforce. In addition to skills and knowledge related specifically to identifying and reaching zero-dose and under-immunized children, health workers and managers need the skills to deliver and manage their routine immunization programmes effectively. IA Watch and IA Learn platforms give health workers and managers access to high-quality educational resources whenever and wherever they need them.
Key activities
Two video lessons on identifying zero-dose children and missed communities, and developing a plan to reach zero-dose and under-immunized children, in English and French. Learn more.
Platform partners
The IA Watch and IA Learn platforms are freely available for all healthcare professionals looking to build their immunization skills and knowledge. Immunization Academy has over 190 countries represented across users. It is also a Vaccine Safety Net member.
Endorsement by ZDLH Country Learning Hub MoH EPI
- Nigeria
ZD events and activities organized in last 6 months
- 0
Publicly available ZD resources
- IA Watch has two video lessons on identifying zero-dose children and missed communities, and developing a plan to reach zero-dose and under-immunized children, in English and French. Learn more.
Evidence of use
- Self or internal evaluation and reporting
- Over 2 million views of Immunization Academy videos on own site and YouTube.
Movement for IA2030
The Movement for IA2030 offers the opportunity for immunization practitioners to solve their priority immunization challenges, including reaching zero-dose children and communities (over 50% of Movement members reported having issues related to zero-dose children and communities). The platform offers opportunities for experience sharing and peer-to-peer learning. Read more
ZD role: It can be a platform for dissemination of zero-dose guidelines and also a means to capture experiences from frontline health workers on zero-dose.
Key activities
- A zero-dose-specific survey that had over 150 responses and led to a two-hour experience-sharing session on the strategies and tools used by subnational staff to identify and reach zero-dose children and communities.
- A zero-dose case study has been developed.
Platform partners
- Wellcome Trust, Bridges to Development
Endorsement by ZDLH Country Learning Hub MoH EPI
- None
ZD events and activities organized in last 6 months
- 0
Publicly available ZD resources
- IA2030 Case Study 9. Understanding and responding to zero-dose challenges.
Evidence of use
- Anecdotal evidence (user feedback)
- Implementation stories from IA2030 Movement members
Teach to Reach
Teach to Reach is a platform where health professionals from over 120 countries meet, network, and learn with fellow immunization and other health professionals around key themes, including reaching zero-dose children and communities. Read more
ZD role: Teach to Reach events prioritize the contributions of those working within national immunization programmes, who share their experience for the benefit of others and receive feedback from global experts who serve as facilitators. Participants have the opportunity to engage in at least two kinds of learning: peer learning and networked learning. Zero-dose policymakers can join to listen to first-hand experiences from the field and point practitioners towards the best available global guidelines.
Key activities
- Regular online experience-sharing events on a range of topics relevant to immunization practitioners at all levels.
- Integrated networking opportunities for participants.
Platform partners
- Wellcome Trust, UNICEF
Endorsement by ZDLH Country Learning Hub MoH EPI
- None
ZD events and activities organized in last 6 months
- None
Publicly available ZD resources
- None
Evidence of use
- None
TechNet-21
The Technical Network for Strengthening Immunization Services. Read more
ZD role: By promoting the zero-dose community of practice within the far larger TechNet-21 community; by hosting technical zero-dose content; by providing expert guidance from decades of experience managing an online immunization community.
Key activities
- Not answered.
Platform partners
- Not answered.
Endorsement by ZDLH Country Learning Hub MoH EPI
- Not answered.
ZD events and activities organized in last 6 months
- 12
Publicly available ZD resources
- Knowledge Hub resources, Hot Topics, Webinars, dissemination and promotion, etc.
Evidence of use
- Self or internal evaluation and reporting
- Engagement metrics such as website hits, webinar registrations, etc.
International Association of Public Health Logisticians (IAPHL)
IAPHL is a global community of practice of supply chain professionals in public health and humanitarian action, from last mile to global strategic decision. Its 7900+ membership is drawn from about 150 countries, with 26 country chapters. Read more
ZD role: With about 70% of the 7900 members in Africa, IAPHL is a strong platform via which knowledge, policy direction and new advances in vaccine and immunization can be shared and also generate multi-stakeholder feedback and ideas that can help fashion a more effective strategy and policy towards zero-dose.
Key activities
- Webinar: How Immunization Supply Chains (iSC) contribute to identifying, targeting, and reaching zero-dose communities.
- Conference: The Technet-21 Conference has been advertised on the platform and there has been potential collaboration discussion to expound on how last mile supply chain could close the gap for zero dose.
- Research: What issues do LMICs face in vaccine distribution? This and many others are examples of how members leverage the IAPHL community of practice to contribute to vaccine and immunization body of knowledge.
Platform partners
- Governments, NGOs, USAID, BMGF, TGF, Technet-21, PtD and host of private sector companies.
Endorsement by ZDLH Country Learning Hub MoH EPI
- None.
ZD events and activities organized in last 6 months
- 1
Publicly available ZD resources
- Advocacy tool kit
- Compendium of moderated discussions (Listserv+Whatsapp)
- Gender impact on supply chain
- Research platform
Evidence of use
- Self or internal evaluation and reporting.
- From IAPHL annual surveys, members provide insights on how IAPHL has added value to them and which resources they found useful.
Linked Immunization Action Network
The Linked Immunization Action Network’s main aim is to support countries to sustain high and equitable coverage, particularly identification and targeting of zero-dose children. To support countries, the Network facilitates peer-to-peer learning, although zero-dose children are a major focus in only a few of the Network’s countries and contexts are very different across countries. Read more
ZD role: Through peer-to-peer discussions sharing experiences implementing interventions to address zero-dose challenges, countries learn new approaches/strategies, lessons learned or good practices to implement in their own countries.
Key activities
- A workshop on implementation of immunization through PHC platforms surfaced key challenges and strategies in coordination and performance management and monitoring of immunization programming.
- A virtual engagement on the use of non-financial and financial incentives to improve immunization program performance.
- Another workshop on RI recovery (due to COVID), surfaced challenges and strategies on managing the health workforce - significant HR challenges have emerged - burnout, reduction in the workforce, etc.
Platform partners
- Gavi, WHO and UNICEF.
Endorsement by ZDLH Country Learning Hub MoH EPI
- Nigeria
ZD events and activities organized in last 6 months
- 0
Publicly available ZD resources
Evidence of use
- Anecdotal evidence (user feedback).
- Armenia had never heard of zero-dose prior to Network workshop last year. Upon hearing about it, they added an indicator to their reporting system and now routinely track zero-dose.
Social Norms Learning Collaborative, Global
The Social Norms Learning Collaborative, Global platform facilitates sharing of resources and knowledge related to social norms across the globe, with the goal of informing behaviour change cross-culturally, which may include practitioners and resources related to norms and uptake of vaccines and norms related to vaccine hesitancy and reluctance. Read more
ZD role: The Learning Collaborative can share resources or link with individuals who are working on vaccine hesitancy, vaccine uptake and the social norms associated with such behaviours.
Key activities
- No specific activity related to zero-dose has been hosted in the past year – norms work is typically intentionally broad.
Platform partners
- Global funders (BMGF, USAID, Hewlett, Wellspring Philanthropic Fund), local NGOs, international NGOs (i.e., Save the Children, CARE International, PCI Global), universities, local government, local practitioners, healthcare workers, etc.
Endorsement by ZDLH Country Learning Hub MoH EPI
- None
ZD events and activities organized in last 6 months
- 0
Publicly available ZD resources
- No resources specific to zero-dose, but many resources on the Align platform relate to identifying, measuring, and creating programmes for social norms.
Evidence of use
- Anecdotal evidence (user feedback).
Social Norms Learning Collaborative, Nigeria
The Social Norms Learning Collaborative, Nigeria provides opportunities for exploring and building technical capacities on shifting social norms that contribute to zero-dose burden in addition to sharing knowledge on interventions successfully implemented to reach zero-dose children and missed communities in Nigeria. Read more
ZD role: The collaborative comprises academics, implementing partners and other professionals, some of whom are experts in immunization and can serve as resources to inform strategic guidance on how to reach zero-dose children and missed communities based on nuanced experiences. The collaborative itself can also serve as an avenue for knowledge dissemination to both the general public and development partners, including CBOs, FBOs through a plethora of digital and physical routes.
Key activities
- Direct mentorship to organizations aimed at improving uptake of birth dose immunization antigens which are typically missed due to socio-cultural norms.
- Spotlighting and discussing social norms impacting uptake of routine immunization and norm-shifting immunization programmes.
- Capacity building webinars on social norms exploration in communities and effective social norms program design.
Platform partners
- BMGF, UCSD, SCIDaR, National and State primary healthcare development agencies, implementing partners including CSOs, academic institutions (University of Abuja and Bayero University).
Endorsement by ZDLH Country Learning Hub MoH EPI
- None
ZD events and activities organized in last 6 months
- 1
Publicly available ZD resources
- Publications (knowledge products etc.), webinar videos, podcast recordings, capacity-building materials.
Evidence of use
- Self or internal evaluation and reporting.