Establishment of a National Immunization Technical Advisory Group in Côte d'Ivoire: process and lessons learned.

In January 2010, Côte d'Ivoire became the first GAVI-eligible country in sub-Saharan Africa to establish a National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NITAG). The Côte d'Ivoire "National Committee of Independent Experts for Vaccination and Vaccines" (CNEIV-CI) was created to strengthen national capacity for evidence-based policy decisions with regard to immunization and vaccines. The primary reasons for success in Côte d'Ivoire were a strong political will, the availability of sufficient national expertise, a step-by-step country-driven process, and the provision of technical assistance to the Ministry of Health. The challenges included operating within the socio-political crisis, and initial reluctance from some stakeholders due to the potential overlap with other existing committees. The latter rapidly dissolved over the course of numerous meetings held with the SIVAC Initiative to clarify the mandate of a NITAG.

[Estimated costs of the expanded program of immunization in the health district of Grand Bassam, Cote d'Ivoire]. / Estimation des coûts du programme élargi de vaccination dans le district sanitaire de Grand Bassam, Côte d'Ivoire.

The vaccines of the Expanded Immunization Program are administered free of charge to beneficiaries. However, these vaccines are purchased by countries and partners of immunization. These costs need to be estimated to be better understood. We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study of the costs of the Expanded Immunization Program in the health district of Grand-Bassam from January 1 to December 31, 2006, with questions aiming to understand the costs from the point of view of the state and partners. We aimed to determine costs by level of expenditure, calculate the cost per child who received 3 doses of vaccine against Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis-Hepatitis B and cost per strategy. Vaccines and injection supplies accounted for 49% of recurrent costs. Vehicles and motorcycles for transport accounted for 73% of non-recurrent costs. The recurrent cost per child who received 3 doses of the vaccine was 10 797 FCFA (16 euros). The recurrent cost per dose administered was 1,041 FCFA (1,58 euros) for the fixed strategy, 4,232 FCFA (6,45 euros) for the outreach strategy and 4,058 FCFA (6,18 euros) for the mobile strategy. Because of the scarcity of financial resources, the Côte d'Ivoire government must strengthen efficient public-health measures, including vaccination.

[Chronic malnutrition among children under five years of age in the northern part of Côte d'Ivoire]. / Malnutrition chronique chez les enfants de moins de 5 ans au nord de la Côte d'Ivoire.

The malnutrition of children under five years of age constitutes a major public health problem in most developing countries. A cross-section study was carried in 2003 in the northern part of Côte d'Ivoire to determine the prevalence of chronic malnutrition and to identify risk factors among children under five years of age living in urban and rural areas of the northern part of Côte d'Ivoire. A total of 292 and 268 children under five years of age residing respectively in urban and rural areas were included in the study. Their median age was 24 months. Chronic malnutrition was more frequent in children from rural areas (39.9%) than in those living in urban areas (16.7%). Malnutrition was significantly associated with the type of food consumed by children under two years of age in urban areas, and it was strongly linked to emaciation of the mother and presence of childhood fever in rural areas. In light of these results, we advocate a healthy diet and adequate health status for the mother and child to improve the nutritional status of children. Moreover, these results need to be completed and complemented by further studies for more detailed information to contribute to a better definition of actions to fight efficiently against malnutrition among children of the northern part of Côte d'Ivoire.