Western PHA prepares reporting system for province-wide immunisation campaign

WPHA, PNGSDP and World Vision PNG team members at the DHIS2 & Kobo Collect Training of Trainers in Daru. The training prepares health teams to track immunisation data in real-time during the upcoming province-wide campaign (Image: Supplied)

The Western Provincial Health Authority is rolling out a new digital reporting system ahead of its province-wide Catch-up Routine Immunisation Campaign in August and September, with support from PNGSDP and World Vision PNG.

A two-day Training of Trainers workshop concluded yesterday in Daru for South Fly District team leaders to equip them with skills to use the Digital Health Information Software 2 [DHIS2], and the Kobo Collect tool.

The tools will be used to track progress and conduct surveys to identify factors contributing to low immunisation coverage.

Following the Daru training, team leaders will conduct facility-based training across South Fly District. The same training will be extended to other districts, with North Fly and Middle Fly districts scheduled for August 10th to 11th in Kiunga.

PNGSDP has supported the campaign with 86 Android tablets for 86 teams across the province. The tablets will be given to designated data capturers in each team to ensure data entry does not distract clinicians, who will focus on vaccinating children.

The digital system will help WPHA’s Monitoring and Evaluation teams keep accurate records of children immunised during the campaign.

The initial target group is children under one year of age. However, WPHA chief executive officer Dr. Miriam Boga said the campaign will also include older children following reports of a new measles outbreak in New Ireland Province.

"We have also made an exception to include older children as the country now reports a new measles outbreak in the New Ireland Province," Dr. Boga said.

Executive Manager for North Fly District Health Services Galeva Sere closed the Daru training and acknowledged partners for their technical support in developing the reporting framework WPHA will use.

The Catch-up Routine Immunisation Campaign is scheduled for North Fly and Middle Fly from August 17th-28th, and South Fly and Delta Fly from September 7th-18th.