An ICT Based Micro-Plan Development for Strengthening Monitoring Mechanism of Vaccination Program in Bangladesh

Vaccination plays a vital role in eradicating a number of fatal diseases all over the world. Childhood vaccination is a proven tool for controlling infectious diseases and accepted everywhere to be safe. Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) was established by World Health Organization (WHO) in 1977 with the goal of providing universal immunization for all children by 1990. In Bangladesh, EPI was initiated in 1979, and this is one of the very successful program in the Bangladesh health sector with a coverage rate of around 85%. Vaccines are given in the community level according to an annual schedule in Bangladesh which is known as micro-plan. At present the vaccination schedule (micro-plan) is developed manually involving about 5000 Unions and 500 Upazilas, which are administrative units in Bangladesh. Thus real-time information is not available at the central office for monitoring purpose. However, for further strengthening of the coverage and effective monitoring, availability of information is crucial. To address this issue, we propose an automated process for developing the vaccination schedule program through aWeb based MIS software application. The community health workers and officials will be able to access the system through their mobile wireless devices already available to them. The schedule and staff information will be available to the mid-level and central officials which will ensure proper monitoring, accountability, transparency in the process. Thus the coverage of vaccinated children in Bangladesh will be improved through adapting this solution by the government.