EC Paediatrics

Background: The emergence of second COVID-19 wave posed a potential threat in attaining the target of introducing Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) across India by March 2022. Each field level activity necessary prior to a New Vaccine Introduction, including preparedness assessment of states and districts, training field-level health workers and supervisors, distributing training material, community mobilization became a challenge. The pandemic-related restrictions necessitated the development of an alternative digital tool in place of traditional manual technique for the very initial step in the long list of activities, i.e. preparedness assessment. In this study, the authors document the development and implementation of an innovative tool - PCV Roll Out Monitoring and Preparedness Tool (PROMPT).

Method: An updated version of WHO was approved by the Government of India as the preparedness checklist for new vaccine introduction. Consequently, the tool was further adapted and digitized by inclusion of conditional entries, character limits to form the PROMPT.

Results and Discussion: The developed PROMPT is an innovative, user-friendly online tool, broadly comprising of two components: checklists and dashboard. Both State and District versions of checklists are included in the tool, facilitating comprehensive recording of preparedness data on all key programmatic domains. The data collected through the checklists is presented through a dynamic dashboard.

PROMPT is a novel digital solution since it is the first time that an online tool was deployed for preparedness assessment for NVI. Use of PROMPT has led to increased efficiency, simpler progress tracking, automatic collation of data and generation of visual analytics.

Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic had put forth an unprecedented situation compelling the need for innovation and adoption of novel modalities to improve health outcomes. The PROMPT tool is one such innovation that in the future could possibly serve as a modifiable online templatized tool for preparedness assessment for NVIs.

Keywords: Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV); PCV Roll Out Monitoring and Preparedness Tool (PROMPT); COVID-19

1. Scotney S., et al. “Succeeding in new vaccine introduction: Lessons learned from the introduction of inactivated poliovirus vaccine in Cameroon, Kenya, and Nigeria”. The Journal of Infectious Diseases1 (2017): S130-S136.
2. Operational Guidelines: Introduction of Rotavirus Vaccine in the Universal Immunization Programme (2019).
3. COVID-19 Vaccines: Operational guidelines (2020).
4. Harvard Ministerial Leadership Program: Preparing for COVID-19 Vaccine Delivery in Africa (2021).
5. Sally D Davies., et al. “Leveraging data and new digital tools to prepare for the next pandemic”. The Lancet10282 (2021).
6. Stockwell MS and Fiks AG. “Utilizing health information technology to improve vaccine communication and coverage”. Human Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics8 (8): 1802-1811.
7. Whitelaw S., et al. “Applications of digital technology in COVID-19 pandemic planning and response”. The Lancet Digital Health8 (2020): e435-e440.
8. Impouma B., et al. “Use of electronic tools for evidence-based preparedness and response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the WHO African region”. The Lancet Digital Health10 (2020): e50: 0-e502.