Benin, Côte D Ivoire

1.1 Statement of the Problem

The problems of formal health services and the challenges in sub-Saharan Africa have been widely documented. Findings from other current studies reveal a myriad of failures in the supply and demand side of health services. Access to formal services is also impinged by distance and financial factors; service quality is extremely very poor and is highly characterized by drug and staff shortages, lack of political commitment, poor infrastructure and negligence among health staff (Kadzandira and Chalowa, 2001).

However in Benin, Burkina Faso and Côte d’ivoire these factors has lead to continued low (performance, coverage and stagnating) immunisation services since 2005.This lack of services is leading to both high

2. METHODOLOGY. 2.1 Study Objectives

The overall goal was to isolate practical solutions available to improve immunization service in Benin, Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire. This is part of the ongoing program for Agence de Médicine Préventive (AMP); ADVocacy for IMMunization (ADVIM) initiatives. ADVIM aims to strengthen the national capacities for advocating and financing immunization programs in three GAVI-eligible Francophone African countries.

The primary objectives of this study were;

1) To explore problems with expanded program on immunization ranging from health system, social economic, cultural and access factors.

2) To explore financing (internal and external) factors impacting on

The central level consists of ministry of health and its directories, then at intermediate level regional departmental directors and at the peripheral level the health zones where vaccination occurs.

Our study population were three EPI Managers, three UNICEF officers, three WHO officers, one child professional officer and agent in charge and vaccinators for health centre Do and Dafra health district of Bobodiuolasso between February to March 2010. The qualitative primary data was obtained by self administered questionnaires for officers. In Health Centre, we carried out semi structure interviews with the agent in charge of the health facility and the vaccinators.

International, regional and national literatures were revealed, Memories Operational Research (MRO) consulted and relevant EPI policy program documents are part of the data. The study involved 30 personnel (26 after weighting) with 86.6% response rate. Sampling was based on convenience sampling including respondents who had knowledge on the topic and excluded those who did not have knowledge on the topic.

2.3 Data