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Phase: Ideas Missions: Engaging Communities and Shaping Social Norms

Male immunization champions: Using “male immunization champions” as immunization promoters

Promoting male partner involvement in immunization services using “male immunization champions”

Photo of BAGAYA MONICA
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A male immunisation champion engaging fellow men on immunization A male immunisation champion engaging fellow men on immunization

Describe what you intend to do and how you'll do it in one sentence (required 250 Characters)

Engaging fathers who are actively involved in their children’s full immunization “ male immunization champions” as key influencers for empowering male peers and accelerating male partner involvement in immunization services in Uganda.

Explain the idea (less than 2,000 characters)

men can be engaged from their drinking places as often times they do believe that so many ideas are shared while seating on a pot of ajono men can be engaged from their drinking places as often times they do believe that so many ideas are shared while seating on a pot of ajono
Male partner involvement in RCI services influences women’s immunization behavior, utilization and timely completion of an infant’s RCI schedule. From a study conducted by Baguma (2011) in rural, Uganda , only 29% of all male participants were highly involved in RCI. This is partly associated with the fact that interventions that generate demand for immunization services in Uganda have traditionally targeted women neglecting the involvement of men due to the general belief that women are typically responsible for child immunization. Paradoxically, male involvement is particularly emphasized in MCH with little attention to child vaccination, one of the world’s most cost-effective child survival strategies.Therefore, this project seeks to identify and train male immunization champions to empower male peers with immunization information and accelerate male involvement in Immunization services in rural Uganda. Male immunization champions will be fathers who are actively involved in insuring that their children receive the full immunization package on time. These will be identified by conducting clustered household surveys in rural and urban Uganda. During the clustered household surveys, fathers with children in the bracket of (12-23) months will be interviewed to assess male involvement. Male involvement in immunization will be estimated basing on an involvement index developed from five indicators: 1 if the male partner takes their children for RCT, 2 accompanies his partner for RCT, 3 provides financial support for a child’s routine immunization visits, 4 discusses with the partner about the child’s immunization schedule,Involvement score of each respondent will range from 0=no involvement to 4=involved in all 4 areas at least once. score of at least 3 will be considered as high male involvement and ≤2 as low male involvement. Fathers with score of 4 ana influeential will be selected as immunization champions and will be trained to engage and empower male peer

Which part(s) of the world does this idea target?

  • Eastern Africa

Geographic Focus (less than 250 Characters)

This projects targets rural Uganda with emphasis on rural areas within Wakiso and Mukono district Uganda.

Who are your end users and how well do you know them? (750 characters)

This project will be implemented by Preventive Care International in partnership with public health facilities. We expect mothers especially those who are not economically empowered and their children to primarily benefit. From increased male involvement in immunization services, mothers will receive necessary support (transport money, permission) form their partners while taking their children for immunization. With approximately 40 male immunization champions, we anticipate being able to reach approximately 20,000 male partners with discussions centered on male involvement in RCI services. PCI through its partnerships has implemented similar projects targeting male involvement in HIV prevention services using a peer led model.

How is the idea unique? (750 Characters)

From a study conducted by (Babirye et al., 2011) on factors affecting immunization behavior in Kampala, Uganda, male partners involvement in immunization services was pointed out as key in increasing timely and full immunization of children. Mothers who reported to have received support from their husbands during their children’s immunization had fully immunized their children compared to those whose partners were not involved. Despite the relevancy of male partner’s involvement in utilization of immunization services, majority of the interventions that generate demand for immunization services in Uganda have traditionally targeted women neglecting men.Unique from other programs, this idea relies on accelerating male involvement in RCI.

Idea Proposal Stage (Select 1)

  • Prototype: We have done some small tests or experiments with prospective users to continue developing the idea.

How many months are required for the project idea? (140 characters)

12 months,to identify male immunization champions through the clustered household survey and reach out to approximately 20,000 male partners

Organization Name (less than 140 characters)

Preventive Care International (PCI)

Type of Submitter

  • We are a registered NGO or Non-Profit Organization

Organizational Characteristics

  • Women’s health/rights focused
  • Youth-led organization
  • Locally/community-led organization

Organization Location (less than 140 Characters)

Kampala, Uganda- East Africa

What is the current scale of your organization’s work?

  • National (expansive reach within one country)

Website URL

http://preventivecareinternational.com/

Tell us more about your organization/company (1-2 sentences)

Preventive Care International (PCI) is a non-government organization that focuses on promoting healthcare through Research, Training and Advocacy.

Who will work alongside your organization in the project idea? (750 characters)

The project will be implemented by Preventive Care International in partnership with public health facilities. Preventive Care International has been collaborating with public health Facilities in mobilizing community especially Fishing communities, Slum areas, Plantation areas, Incarcerated people and Displaced people to utilize public health interventions for approximately 4 years.

How many people are on your team?

4

Tell us more about you and your team

MONICA BAGAYA: Project coordinator is a trained Public Health Officer with experience in community mobilization for uptake of public health interventions in Uganda especially hard to reach areas. She has been involved in community health programming and participated in a number of community based health projects (mainly Sexual and Reproductive Health, HIV/AIDS prevention, malaria and maternal and child health) in Uganda Charles Brown: PROJECT COORDINATOR. Masters in Public Administration. He has been involved in a number of HIV prevention research activities Diego Izizinga Head of community operations he is a trained public health officer Timothy Ssebuliba Project Officer: He is a clinician

Overview of How Your Concept Has Evolved (5-6 sentences):

We were able to design a training guide for the male immunization champions after conducting consultation meetings with the key stakeholders including fathers and health workers. From the comments we received, we were able to come up with a sustainable plan for motivating the male immunization champions and also strategies for engaging men while they are the health facilities. The webinars enabled us to expand our focus beyond the fathers we are targeting to a wider community context and also appreciate the rationale of data as means for evaluating our strategy. Also from support of our prototype (Tina) we were able to come up with a user journey guide and a business model for our project

Viability (3-4 sentences and activity upload):

https://canvanizer.com/canvas/wTtUeo3fNfwU5 Within the business model canvas, we developed set of activities adapting the existing peer led model we use to engage men in PMTCT. If we can leverage the already existing collaborations we have with public health facilities and community support, we will achieve the project aim at low cost.

Feasibility (3-4 sentences):

During the refinement phase, we engaged some fathers asking them their views of the project, they welcomed the idea as they pointed out that they are reluctant to engage in their children's immunization as they believe that it's the mothers role. They highlighted that because of the health education talks women get during ANC and PNC, they tend to know a lot about immunization and fathers know less yet they are the sole decision makers. So they advised us to select immunization champions who will engage them from wherever they are as they cannot spend all day at facility without work.

Desirability (3-4 sentences and activity upload):

From the beneficiaries feedback sessions, fathers asked to train immunization on w best to engage them. They advised us to design brochures that specially target the fathers with detailed information on immunization. At the health facility level, we were advised to come up with innovative approaches for engaging the male partners like board games as they wait for family during immunization.

Community Focus (2-3 sentences):

This project intends to leverage the positive impact of male partner involvement in immunization. Fathers play a vital role in accelerating uptake of immunization as they are the sole decision makers. Despite this they are often left out in the immunization puzzle. This project will adapt a gender transformative approach to sensitizing fathers of the key role they hold in their childrens health. Male immunization champions will be selected from their respective communities. Their peer involvements will be intergrted within their existing community engagements and meetings

Community Impact (2-3 sentences):

This project will promote male partners involvement in immunization. This will be evidenced from the support mothers will receive from their partners regarding their children's immunization. At the health facilities a linkage form will be used to capture fathers who have brought their children for immunization as a result of the project. Since we are mimicking the already existing peer led model for male involvement in PMTCT and leveraging the already built collaborations, we expect to notice projects impacts within a short period of time and also sustain the project beyond donor funding.

Inspired by (1)

MAMA CHANJO: Key Immunization behavior changemakers mothers
MAMA CHANJO: Key Immunization behavior changemakers mothers

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Photo of Marichu Carstensen
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Thanks Bagaya for including the board game suggestion. Congratulations! If there is anything that you might need from me, do not hesitate to reach out.

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