CFAs: Community Engagement for Equitable Routine Immunization Programme (Papua New Guinea)

The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is seeking partners to support evidence-informed community approaches that improve routine immunization access and reach zero-dose and under-immunized children in Papua New Guinea. The programme focuses on strengthening caregiver awareness, community engagement, referral systems, healthcare worker capacity, and coordination mechanisms to improve child health outcomes.

Overview of the UNICEF Routine Immunization Programme in Papua New Guinea

The UNICEF Routine Immunization Programme in Papua New Guinea aims to strengthen community-based approaches that increase access to vaccination services and improve immunization coverage among children who have not received vaccines or are partially immunized.

The initiative focuses on reducing barriers that prevent children from accessing routine immunization services by improving:

Caregiver knowledge and confidence.
Community demand for vaccination.
Referral systems between communities and health facilities.
Coordination among health stakeholders.

The programme supports evidence-based strategies to ensure that vulnerable children are identified, referred, and connected with essential immunization services.

Purpose of the Programme

The main objective of the programme is to improve routine immunization outcomes by strengthening community participation and health system coordination.

The programme aims to:

Increase demand for routine immunization.
Identify zero-dose and under-immunized children.
Improve access to vaccination services.
Strengthen communication between communities and healthcare providers.
Build sustainable community engagement systems.

Key Focus Areas

The programme focuses on Health and Child Health, with specific attention to routine immunization improvement.

Improving Caregiver Awareness and Confidence

The initiative will support activities that help caregivers:

Understand the importance of routine vaccination.
Build confidence in immunization services.
Recognize vaccination schedules.
Access reliable health information.

Community communication strategies will address misconceptions and barriers affecting vaccination uptake.

Reaching Zero-Dose and Under-Immunized Children

A major priority of the programme is identifying children who:

Have never received routine vaccinations.
Have missed scheduled vaccines.
Face barriers accessing health services.

The programme will establish stronger links between communities and health facilities to ensure children are referred for vaccination services.

Strengthening Community and Health Worker Collaboration

The programme will support collaboration between:

Village Health Assistants.
Healthcare workers.
Community leaders.
Local stakeholders.

These groups will work together to:

Plan immunization activities.
Implement community outreach.
Monitor progress.
Address local challenges.

Community Action Plans for Immunization

The initiative will strengthen ward-level community structures through locally developed Community Action Plans.

These plans will help communities:

Identify immunization challenges.
Develop local solutions.
Organize community engagement activities.
Monitor progress toward vaccination goals.

Capacity Building for Healthcare Workers and Communities

The programme will improve the ability of healthcare workers, Village Health Assistants, and community stakeholders to support immunization activities.

Capacity-building activities will focus on:

Interpersonal communication skills.
Community engagement techniques.
Immunization promotion.
Child health awareness.

The strengthened skills may also support broader child health priorities, including:

Nutrition.
Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).
Child protection.

Coordination With Health Authorities

The programme will support stronger coordination between:

Provincial Health Authorities.
Government health departments.
Immunization partners.
Community organizations.

Coordination mechanisms will help stakeholders:

Plan activities jointly.
Review implementation progress.
Address operational barriers.
Improve programme effectiveness.

Why This Programme Matters

Routine immunization is one of the most effective ways to prevent childhood diseases and protect vulnerable populations.

However, some children remain unvaccinated due to:

Limited access to health services.
Lack of information.
Community-level barriers.
Weak referral pathways.

This programme helps address these challenges by placing communities at the centre of immunization efforts.

Expected benefits include:

Increased vaccination coverage.
Better identification of missed children.
Stronger community participation.
Improved child health outcomes.

Who Can Apply?

The opportunity is intended for organisations capable of supporting community-based immunization activities in Papua New Guinea.

Applicants should demonstrate:

Relevant health sector experience.
Capacity to implement community engagement programmes.
Ability to work with healthcare systems.
Experience in monitoring and reporting programme results.

Organisations should be able to collaborate with government health authorities and community structures.

Programme Implementation Approach

Selected partners will support implementation through several key activities.

Step 1: Community Assessment and Planning

Partners will work with communities and health stakeholders to:

Identify immunization barriers.
Understand local needs.
Develop appropriate engagement strategies.

Step 2: Community Engagement Activities

Activities will include:

Awareness sessions.
Communication campaigns.
Caregiver engagement.
Community mobilization.

Step 3: Referral and Follow-Up Systems

Partners will support:

Identification of zero-dose children.
Referral to health facilities.
Follow-up monitoring.

Step 4: Monitoring and Learning

Implementation progress will be monitored through:

Regular reviews.
Documentation of lessons learned.
Performance tracking.
Programme improvement activities.

Expected Programme Outcomes

The initiative is expected to contribute to:

Increased caregiver demand for immunization.
Improved access to vaccination services.
Stronger community-health facility connections.
Better routine immunization coverage.
Sustainable community engagement systems.

Tips for Potential Applicants

Applicants should:

Demonstrate experience in community health programming.
Explain how they will engage local communities.
Provide clear monitoring approaches.
Show collaboration plans with health authorities.
Include strategies for documenting lessons learned.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should avoid:

Proposing activities without community involvement.
Failing to explain implementation capacity.
Providing unclear monitoring plans.
Ignoring coordination with government health systems.
Not aligning activities with expected programme results.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the UNICEF Papua New Guinea Routine Immunization Programme?

The programme supports evidence-informed community approaches to improve routine immunization access and reach zero-dose and under-immunized children in Papua New Guinea.

What are the main focus areas of the programme?

The programme focuses on health and child health, particularly improving routine immunization demand, access, and community engagement.

Who are zero-dose and under-immunized children?

Zero-dose children are those who have not received any routine vaccines, while under-immunized children have missed one or more recommended vaccinations.

How will the programme improve immunization coverage?

The programme will strengthen caregiver awareness, community engagement, referral systems, and collaboration between Village Health Assistants and healthcare workers.

What role will Village Health Assistants play?

Village Health Assistants will support community planning, communication activities, identification of children needing vaccines, and monitoring of immunization efforts.

Will the programme support other child health priorities?

Yes. Where appropriate, strengthened community engagement approaches may also support areas such as nutrition, WASH, and child protection.

How will programme quality be monitored?

Implementation lessons, progress data, and community feedback will be documented and used to improve programme delivery.

Conclusion

The UNICEF Routine Immunization Programme in Papua New Guinea provides an important opportunity to strengthen community-based vaccination systems and improve access for children who remain unreached by routine immunization services. By building stronger links between communities, healthcare workers, and health authorities, the programme aims to create sustainable improvements in child health and immunization coverage.