Empowering Professionals For Health to promote Newly Arrived Migrant vaccination uptake

Abstract Issue/Problem The imperative task of making access to vaccinations equitable and guaranteed for Newly Arrived Migrants (NAM) in Europe not only highlights a public health challenge but also offers a chance to tackle barriers within health systems. NAMs frequently encounter hurdles in accessing healthcare services, with vaccinations often ranking lower on their list of health priorities. The AcToVax4NAM project developed and implemented tailored interventions for Professionals FOR Health (PFH) working with NAMs in 8 EU countries. Description of the problem NAM often overlook vaccinations due to more immediate concerns, and health systems lack a comprehensive approach to vaccinations. Thus, piloted interventions were developed in consortium countries, working with PFH to tackle vaccination barriers. Over 3 months, each country implemented context-specific interventions to enhance health systems’ responsiveness using culturally appropriate tools. Key objectives included developing procedures, improving PFH cultural sensitivity communication skills, and assessing NAM vaccination intentions. Results Initial findings vary depending on the country’s context but generally show notable enhancements in PFH cultural competencies and increased willingness among NAM to get vaccinated. The pilots underscored the importance of tailoring strategies to specific contexts and fostering collaboration among stakeholders for a successful intervention. Lessons The results highlight the pivotal role of tailored interventions in addressing vaccination disparities among NAM. As PFH working with diverse populations, their role in implementing similar training programs in other settings facing similar challenges is invaluable to achieving equitable vaccination processes. Recommendations encompassing the lessons learned and challenges encountered throughout the pilot implementation will further facilitate the dissemination of this knowledge amongst relevant stakeholders.