(A-352) Barriers and Strategies to Improve Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting: Views from Health Workers and Managers in Northern Ghana

Background: The increasing incidence of novel vaccine-preventable diseases, such as COVID-19, has led to an increase in the development of vaccines globally. Vaccine hesitancy has risen due to fears of vaccines causing harm. African health systems have generally relied on the spontaneous reporting of adverse events following immunization (AEFIs) to monitor vaccine safety.

Objectives: This study examined the perspectives of healthcare professionals and managers on the obstacles and strategies to enhance AEFI reporting in northern Ghana.

Methods: The a study was conducted in Northern Ghana, selected for its resource constraints and limited data on AEFI reporting. Qualitative methods, including in-depth interviews (IDIs), gathered primary data on health professionals’ perceptions of barriers to reporting and suggestions to improve AEFI reporting in Ghana.
The study included health professionals and managers, such as district directors, EPI Nurses, Disease Control Officers, Food and Drugs Authority officers, and Pharmacists. A purposive sampling method selected districts and participants based on availability, with informed consent obtained. Participants discussed pharmacovigilance activities, reporting procedures, influencing factors, and strategies for enhancement within the health system.

Results: The main regulatory factor affecting AEFI reporting is insufficient feedback. Health system issues like inadequate knowledge, lack of training, challenges with electronic forms, and fear of punishment impede reporting. At the community level, distance to health facilities and transportation costs are major barriers. Participants suggested ongoing AEFI education, awareness campaigns for health workers and patients, timely feedback, and better collaboration among frontline workers, health managers, and the national pharmacovigilance authority to improve AEFI reporting in Ghana.

Conclusions: Reporting AEFIs improves vaccine safety, strengthens surveillance, and aids case management. Factors influencing reporting include poor feedback, software issues, lack of training, facility distance, and transport costs. Timely feedback from the Ghana FDA and health worker training enhances reporting. Simplifying the electronic app and offering training enables staff to complete AEFI forms. This approach promotes collaboration among the FDA, health managers, and frontline workers, especially in immunization. Community engagement is vital for raising patient awareness of adverse events and the importance of reporting, thus improving AEFI reporting.