title: High coverage of vitamin A supplementation and measles vaccination during an integrated Maternal and Child Health Week in Sierra Leone.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In May 2012, the twice-yearly Maternal and Child Health Week (MCHW) integrated vitamin A supplementation (VAS) and supplementary measles vaccination to reach all children 6-59 months in Sierra Leone. Following the MCHW, a post event coverage survey was conducted to validate VAS coverage and assess adverse events following immunization.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using the WHO Expanded Program on Immunization sampling methodology, 30 clusters were randomly selected using population proportionate to size sampling. Fourteen caregivers of children 6-59 months were interviewed per cluster for precision of ±5%. Responses were collected via mobile phones using EpiSurveyor.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall VAS and measles coverage was 91.9% and 91.6%, respectively, with no significant differences by age group, sex, religion or occupation. Major reasons given for not receiving VAS and measles vaccination were not knowing about the MCHW or being out of the area. Significantly more mild adverse events (fever, pain at injection site) were reported via the post event coverage survey (29.1%) than MCHW (0.01%) (p<0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The MCHW reached >90% of children in Sierra Leone with equitable coverage. Increased reporting of mild adverse events during the survey may be attributed to delayed onset after measles vaccination and/or direct inquiry from enumerators. Even mild adverse events following immunization requires strengthened reporting during and after vaccination campaigns.
authors.affiliation: Helen Keller International, PO Box 369, Freetown, Sierra Leone fsesay@hki.org.
authors.forename: Fatmata F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Sesay
authors.affiliation: Helen Keller International, PO Box 369, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
authors.forename: Mary H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Hodges
authors.affiliation: Helen Keller International, PO Box 369, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
authors.forename: Habib I
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Kamara
authors.affiliation: Helen Keller International, PO Box 369, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Turay
authors.affiliation: Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY USA.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wolfe
authors.affiliation: Child Health and Expanded Program on Immunization, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
authors.forename: Thomas T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Samba
authors.affiliation: Nutrition Program, Ministry of Health and Sanitation Sierra Leone, Youyi Building Brookfields, Freetown Sierra Leone.
authors.forename: Aminata S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Koroma
authors.affiliation: National HIV/AIDS Secretariat, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Kingharman Road Freetown, Sierra Leone.
authors.forename: Wogba
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kamara
authors.affiliation: World Health Organization, Country Office, Sierra Leone and Inter Country Support Team for West Africa (IST-WA).
authors.forename: Amadou
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fall
authors.affiliation: World Health Organization, Country Office, Sierra Leone and Inter Country Support Team for West Africa (IST-WA).
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mitula
authors.affiliation: World Health Organization, Country Office, Sierra Leone and Inter Country Support Team for West Africa (IST-WA).
authors.forename: Ishata
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Conteh
authors.affiliation: United Nations Children's Fund, Country Office, Sierra Leone.
authors.forename: Nuhu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maksha
authors.affiliation: Directorate of Disease Prevention and Control, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
authors.forename: Amara
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jambai
mesh_terms: D002669:Child Welfare / Q000639:trends; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D033181:Information Dissemination; D008429:Maternal Welfare / Q000639:trends; D008457:Measles / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008458:Measles Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012807:Sierra Leone / Q000453:epidemiology; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D008458:Measles Vaccine; D014801:Vitamin A
keywords: Adverse events; Coverage; Episurveyor; Measles; Vaccination; Vitamin A supplementation