BACKGROUND: Acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance is an essential component of the polio eradication strategy. The last laboratory confirmed wild poliovirus in Ethiopia was identified in April 2008. However, the country remains at risk for re-infection because of a number of silent areas and borders with high risk countries. OBJECTIVE: Assess AFP surveillance status and community perception on AFP/Polio in semi pastoralist and pastoralist areas. METHODS: Community and facility based cross-sectional survey was conducted complemented by Focus Group Discussions (FGD) from March - April, 2012. The study populations included District and health center AFP surveillance focal persons, WHO surveillance officers, community and religious leaders and women who delivered in the previous one year in purposively selected districts in Core Group Polio Project Implementation areas of Ethiopia. RESULT: Interviews with health center and district AFP surveillance focal persons revealed deficiencies in training, supervision and feedback. The performance of AFP detection varied in the study districts and knowledge about polio and AFP detection was found to be low in the study communities. CONCLUSION: There is a need to strengthen awareness of communities through targeted information, education and communication (IEC) interventions. Regular need-based training and supportive supervision should be conducted, involving all stakeholders including religious leaders and community leaders at each step of the awareness creation process, case detection and reporting and by giving special emphasis to silent and border districts.
BACKGROUND: Acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance is an essential component of the polio eradication strategy. The last laboratory confirmed wild poliovirus in Ethiopia was identified in April 2008. However, the country remains at risk for re-infection because of a number of silent areas and borders with high risk countries. OBJECTIVE: Assess AFP surveillance status and community perception on AFP/Polio in semi pastoralist and pastoralist areas. METHODS: Community and facility based cross-sectional survey was conducted complemented by Focus Group Discussions (FGD) from March - April, 2012. The study populations included District and health center AFP surveillance focal persons, WHO surveillance officers, community and religious leaders and women who delivered in the previous one year in purposively selected districts in Core Group Polio Project Implementation areas of Ethiopia. RESULT: Interviews with health center and district AFP surveillance focal persons revealed deficiencies in training, supervision and feedback. The performance of AFP detection varied in the study districts and knowledge about polio and AFP detection was found to be low in the study communities. CONCLUSION: There is a need to strengthen awareness of communities through targeted information, education and communication (IEC) interventions. Regular need-based training and supportive supervision should be conducted, involving all stakeholders including religious leaders and community leaders at each step of the awareness creation process, case detection and reporting and by giving special emphasis to silent and border districts.
Authors: Lee Losey; Ellyn Ogden; Filimona Bisrat; Roma Solomon; David Newberry; Ellen Coates; Dora Ward; Lisa Hilmi; Karen LeBan; Vanessa Burrowes; Henry B Perry Journal: Am J Trop Med Hyg Date: 2019-10 Impact factor: 2.345
Authors: Katherine V Stamidis; Lydia Bologna; Filimona Bisrat; Tenager Tadesse; Fasil Tessema; Elizabeth Kang Journal: Am J Trop Med Hyg Date: 2019-10 Impact factor: 2.345