Meningococcal disease caused many deaths in the African meningitis belt, mostly related to Neisseria meningitidis. The aftermath of the disease includes severe disabling conditions, social-economic deprivation, political and diplomatic crises. The introduction of new effective vaccines (Hib vaccine; Men A vaccine) can be an opportunity to improve overall immunization coverage if an appropriate intervention is undertaken to raise awareness and management capacities in communities and health services.
A community randomized controlled trial is proposed in Nouna health district in Burkina Faso to assess this hypothesis. Qualitative and quantitative research methods have been used in the pre-intervention study conducted in both communities and health centers. The ongoing intervention consists of a strategy combining disease specific approach based on meningitis and comprehensive Expanded Program of Immunization approach. It is channeled to communities using Protection Motivation Theory with the aim of improving valid dose immunization coverage. Health workers and female community health workers were trained and provided sensitization tools.
Preliminary results suggest that knowledge about meningitis and its management at communities’ levels is limited while the handling of suspected cases in families and knowledge of the aftermath disabilities are adequate. Health workers have different levels of knowledge and experience, different types of problems to apply the management protocol, including the abilities in practicing lumbar puncture, and lack of management kits. As output of this first year of research two drafts of articles are proposed; the first is a critical viewpoint on current implementation of the new meningitis vaccine and the second is on practices and uncertainties regarding management of suspected cases of bacterial meningitis in peripheral health centers.