Vaccination Commando In Burkina Faso: the spearhead for accelerated EPI and PHC

On 4 August 1984, the revolutionary government took power in Burkina Faso, formerly known as Upper Volta. The new national authorities placed high priority on nationwide immunization, and launched the ‘Vaccination Commando’ operation, carried out between 25 November and 10 December 1984, which represented a major achievement in immunization coverage and established a milestone among low-income countries. The purpose of Vaccination Commando was to avert further epidemics of measles, yellow fever, and meningitis while at the same time preparing an acceleration of the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) and the extension of primary health care (PHC) nationwide. The success of the campaign has undoubtedly generated a high level of popular demand for health services in general and immunization in particular. This paper examines the objectives of the campaign, the mobilization of political support for Vaccination Commando, its organizational structure, the preparation and implementation of the system (the cold chain, transport, obtaining the vaccines, manpower requirements, training, the immunization process, difficulties related to the high demand for immunization, delays in the campaign, monitoring procedures), communication activities with a view to the sensitization and mobilization of the people (notably ‘theatre forum’ performances, the distribution of materials such as educational posters and guides, radio broadcasts), costs and achievements. Ref.