Prioritizing interventions to address healthcare worker barriers to reporting adverse events following immunization in Ghana

Despite increasing global efforts to enhance vaccine safety, there are still major gaps in the African subregion's capacity to adequately monitor and respond to vaccine concerns. In 2017 and 2019, two assessments were conducted in Ghana to identify barriers to adverse events following immunization (AEFI) reporting among healthcare workers (HCWs), which revealed multiple barriers and significant gaps in the reporting process, underscoring the need to evaluate approaches to enhance training and support for frontline HCWs. Building upon these assessment findings, in 2021 key immunization safety stakeholders in Ghana met to address the persistent barriers hindering effective reporting practices. Using a feasibility-impact matrix and other qualitative factors, structured discussions allowed stakeholders to identify four innovative strategies to improve AEFI reporting: AEFI reporting toolkit and job aid, HCW protection policy, and new hire training package. Design and implementation of these interventions will allow Ghana to address ongoing barriers to AEFI reporting.