IA2030. Listening and learning report 3. Everyone, everywhere: digital peer learning to leave no one behind

The sixth online Teach to Reach Connect event organized by the Geneva Learning Foundation (Podcast | Telegram | YouTube | Twitter) in June 2022 provided a platform for members of the Movement for Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030), and others with an interest in immunization, to share experience and network internationally. The event included group experience-sharing sessions on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, organized in partnership with UNICEF, and on gender-related issues in immunization, organized jointly with the Women who Deliver Vaccines community of practice. The sessions provided an opportunity for practitioners to highlight their specific local immunization challenges and how they had set about addressing them, in both group and private, one-to-one sharing of experience with peers. Uniquely, Teach to Reach events prioritize the contributions of those working within national immunization programmes, who share their experience for the benefit of others and receive feedback from global experts who serve as facilitators (as a “guide on the side” rather than a “sage on the stage”). Teach to Reach Connect 6 therefore represented an example of “consultative engagement” in which a key global partner – UNICEF – listened and learned rather than disseminated information. Teach to Reach Connect 6 heard multiple examples of how healthcare workers in a variety of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) – anglophone and francophone – are addressing challenges identified by both local and global practitioners as key – COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, gender and other social barriers to immunization, and reaching zero-dose and under-immunized communities – and how they are engaging with local communities. Key insights Experiences shared during the event and through feedback (received from more than 1500 participants from 72 countries) highlighted some of the strategies being adopted to address COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. These included respectful listening and correction of misperceptions, being honest about mild side effects and how to manage them, and showing evidence of being vaccinated or carrying out public vaccinations. Tackling hesitancy among healthcare workers, using similar strategies was also seen to be important. The need to consider specific populations, including pregnant women and people living with HIV, was also raised. The gender barriers discussed focused on the role of men in regulating women’s access to immunization services in some contexts and the importance of involving men in community engagement activities. Conversely, women’s groups and women’s social networks provide opportunities to disseminate positive messaging about immunization. The importance of equitable treatment of women within immunization programmes was also highlighted. In the area of zero-dose and under-immunized population, practitioners emphasized the importance of identifying poorer-performing areas and undertaking situational analyses to truly understand reasons for under-immunization, rather than relying on assumptions, and to use this understanding to shape response plans. The need for coordinated, multifaceted responses was also highlighted. Community engagement was seen as critical to immunization programmes, for example to understand and address social barriers. As well as communication about the benefits of immunities, communities can also be involved in the planning of services. Implications Notably, few contributions focused on entirely novel approaches or use of new technologies. Rather, they typically described the real-world application of strategies that would already be considered good practice. The implementation of recognized good practices across different levels of immunization programmes is an important bottleneck in the development of higher performing immunization programmes. Within a growing ecosystem of digital learning opportunities offered by global partners, TGLF’s array of peer learning opportunities, including Teach to Reach Connect 6, may therefore represent a novel approach by which immunization workers can be exposed to effective real-world practices, grounded in overcoming common operational challenges, and draw inspiration from the use of such practices by their peers, while at the same time benefiting from the global perspective provided by expert facilitators contributing to the learning programme. Many of the contributions included a comment on how participation in TGLF activities had influenced their activities. In several cases, situational analyses had provided important insights to shape interventions. The value of “responsive feedback”, adapting plans in light of experience, was also referenced. Although some evidence was provided that participation in the peer learning programme has led to improvements in participants’ capabilities, and immunization programme performance, further work is needed to provide more rigorous evidence of positive impacts and the routes through which these positive impacts are achieved. This Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) case study is part of theIA2030Movement’sKnowledge-to-Action Hub.Learn more about the Hub…Learn more about the Movement&hellip