Introduction of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in humanitarian and fragile contexts: Perspectives from stakeholders in four African countries

Childhood pneumonia causes a significant burden of preventable child morbidity and mortality in Chad, Guinea, Somalia/Somaliland, and South Sudan. Leaders from these countries have committed to reducing this burden and are preparing to introduce the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) into their immunization programs. To support long-term sustainability for expected PCV introductions in settings afflicted by prolonged humanitarian crises this research explores national stakeholders' perspectives on contextual factors that may influence optimal vaccine implementation. This qualitative study used purposive sampling to identify and interview stakeholders involved in vaccine decision-making. Interview transcripts were analyzed through the framework method, an approach involving charting data into pre-populated matrices. Findings from interviews with 16 key informants from government, partner organizations, and international health agencies fit within the following four overarching themes: (1) population-level vulnerabilities to pneumonia, exacerbated by climatic risks and low levels of maternal education; (2) disease burden and the interest in enhancing surveillance to monitor vaccine impact and integrate disease control efforts; (3) policy processes, including formalizing vaccine decision-making; and (4) vaccine implementation preparation, including the conduct of robust communication campaigns, training, and cold chain upgrades. This research explores perspectives from leaders in these countries which are at pivotal moments in their journeys toward introducing PCV. Widespread commitment among leaders, in addition to financial support, will facilitate vaccine introduction. Further, fostering a shared understanding among partners about context-specific determinants of program success will help build tailored implementation strategies for each country.