Teach to Reach (English)

About Teach to Reach (English)

Meet, network, and learn with fellow immunization and other health professionals from all over the world.

Publisher

The Geneva Learning Foundation

Category

education · health & fitness

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

5 Jan 2021

Latest episode

11 Feb 2025

Latest episodes

148 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   11 Feb 2025

   Health workers share measles outbreak experiences at Teach to Reach 9

   # Health workers share measles outbreak experiences in global learning exchange During the October 13, 2023 session of Teach to Reach 9, immunization professionals from India, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Uganda exchanged specific experiences responding to measles outbreaks. The session focused not on technical guidelines, which participants already implement through their national programs, but on the practical challenges and solutions they have developed in their local contexts. ## Field experiences and local innovations Dr. Isha Goyal, WHO surveillance officer in India, described analyzing outbreak data that revealed 90% of cases concentrated in a single community. Despite engaging religious and community leaders, vaccination coverage remained at 60-70% post-outbreak. She noted that the same community consistently refused vaccines across different immunization programs, raising questions about current engagement approaches. In Nigeria, Mudassir Abdullahi from Skano State Hospital outlined how response teams mapped affected settlements and conducted household assessments that revealed missed vaccinations. The team combined awareness activities with vaccination services, leading to reduced cases in previously affected areas. Dr. Bala Ganesh Kumar, WHO medical officer in South India, shared a systematic response protocol initiated by a hospital case notification: - Sample collection for laboratory confirmation - Formation of epidemic response teams at district and block levels - House-to-house surveys in affected areas and schools - Line listing of fever/rash cases from previous 90 days - Catch-up vaccination for children with immunity gaps Dr. Kamran Khan described Pakistan's 2021 nationwide campaign strategies that achieved 95% coverage: - Public vaccination of policymakers' children - School-based outreach covering 70% of target population - Direct engagement with hesitant parents through schools - Coordinated media management for adverse events ## Implementation challenges identified Participants shared several common challenges: 1. Data and tracking: - Mobile population movement during investigations - Incomplete vaccination records for second doses - Limited data sharing between facilities 2. Vaccine delivery: - Supply chain disruptions - Reluctance to open multi-dose vials - Geographic access barriers 3. Community engagement: - Persistent vaccine hesitancy in specific groups - Limited success with traditional approaches - Need for new strategies for consistently refusing communities ## Analysis and recommendations Lora Shimp synthesized three key approaches from the shared experiences: 1. Data utilization: "Using data to really help us identify where we have missed infants or younger children who may have received one dose of measles, but not two doses." 2. Health system operations: "Working with the health system to address these problems, to better communicate how to get, not to turn people away, what are the best ways to organize these services." 3. Campaign duration: "That campaign shouldn't just stop the day we're doing vaccination... planning for four weeks so that you also follow up with those communities that have been missed." ## Next steps The session highlighted several areas requiring further examination: - Analysis of patterns in vaccine refusal across programs - Development of new approaches for consistently refusing communities - Improved systems for vaccination record keeping - Strengthened preparedness planning Participants continued discussions through networking sessions to explore specific challenges in more detail. Note: Names have been transcribed from the session recording. Their spelling therefore may be inaccurate.

2. 

   9 Feb 2025

   Field workers share innovative approaches to HPV vaccination acceptance (Teach to Reach 9)

   # Field workers share innovative approaches to HPV vaccination acceptance at Teach to Reach 9 Healthcare workers and community leaders from multiple countries shared their frontline experiences with HPV vaccination programs during a special session at Teach to Reach 9, highlighting successful strategies for building vaccine confidence and overcoming hesitancy. The session, which followed up on discussions from Teach to Reach 8, focused on the critical question "How have you made HPV vaccination work for girls and women?" Against the backdrop of concerning statistics - 600,000 new cervical cancer cases and 340,000 deaths annually, with vaccination coverage declining since the COVID-19 pandemic - participants shared concrete examples of local solutions. ## Nigeria launches nationwide campaign Boma Otobo, an adolescent health and HPV vaccine introduction consultant to Lagos state, described Nigeria's preparations for a major HPV vaccination campaign launching October 24, 2023. The initiative targets girls aged 9-14 years through both school-based and community outreach approaches. "We have done the micro plan in Nigeria. We have been able to get our HR requirements sorted. Logistics have moved," Otobo explained. The program conducted rapid community assessments and extensive engagement with schools, religious groups, and traditional leaders to address concerns and build support. ## Community-level innovation Several speakers highlighted the critical importance of direct community engagement: Zuhura Gaki Ahmed, a community health worker from Meru, Kenya, described her successful approach to addressing vaccine hesitancy: "I talked to both the mother and the girls...I gave them an example of a certain lady who had this problem. When she was asked whether she had ever been vaccinated, she said she had never been vaccinated." In Uganda, Rebecca Akelo, a public health nurse, leveraged concerning data on teenage pregnancies to build support for HPV vaccination. She engaged education officials and school leaders, using parent-teacher meetings to explain the science behind the vaccine. "I had to draw for them the uterus and locate where the cervix is and how the vaccine will prevent cervical cancer. They really appreciated the science behind that," Akelo shared. ## Integration and partnership approaches Michael Jones from Sierra Leone described an innovative approach of integrating HPV vaccination with COVID-19 vaccination, which helped overcome resource constraints while achieving higher than expected coverage. The program vaccinated girls at age 10 for HPV and both boys and girls at age 12 for COVID-19. In India, Dr. O.P. Kansal highlighted a new initiative to address hesitancy among medical professionals themselves. The American Cancer Society, working with the Indian Academy of Pediatrics and Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecologists Society of India, launched virtual training programs to build healthcare provider confidence in recommending HPV vaccination. ## Key success factors Laura Shimp, director of the Immunization Center at JSI, identified three critical elements for successful HPV vaccination programs: 1. Leveraging girl advocates and peer-to-peer learning 2. Partnering with cancer prevention groups to emphasize the vaccine's role in cancer prevention 3. Building strong partnerships with education ministries and religious groups Deepa Pokhrel from UNICEF headquarters emphasized the importance of: - Conducting rapid community assessments to understand local concerns - Engaging young people directly in program design - Addressing misinformation quickly through trusted community channels - Moving beyond mass media to focus on sustained community engagement The session demonstrated how local innovation and adaptation, combined with strong partnerships and community engagement, can help overcome hesitancy and build acceptance of HPV vaccination. These insights will be particularly valuable as more countries launch or expand their HPV vaccination programs. ## About Teach to Reach Teach to Reach is a global forum where healthcare workers, community leaders, and public health professionals share field experiences and practical solutions. The format combines plenary sessions with networking opportunities, allowing participants to learn both from formal presentations and direct peer-to-peer exchanges. This session was part of Teach to Reach 9, building on discussions from previous events while incorporating new experiences and innovations from the field.

3. 

   6 Feb 2025

   Global Climate Health Survey Partners Mobilize for Community Impact #TeachToReach (5 February 2025)

   # Global Climate and Health Survey Partners Mobilize for Community Impact Health professionals and community leaders gathered on February 5, 2025, to advance a groundbreaking global climate and health survey initiative. The virtual check-in session brought together participants from multiple continents to discuss dissemination strategies for reaching frontline health workers and communities most affected by climate change. ## Survey to Guide Major New Funding Program Joanna Sanchez from Grand Challenges Canada revealed that the survey will inform a significant new climate and health funding program. "This is going to be a very exciting year for us," Sanchez explained. "The survey will guide us as we develop this new funding program, expected to launch between January and March of 2026." The initiative represents an unprecedented approach to program development. "We are here to learn, listen, and take inputs from local communities," Sanchez emphasized. "We have never done quite like this before, taking experiences from those at the frontlines of the climate and health crisis to guide funding priorities." ## Global Partners Unite for Grassroots Engagement The survey has rapidly gained support from major global organizations. Originally launched as a partnership between Grand Challenges Canada and the Geneva Learning Foundation, it has expanded to include multilateral organizations, NGOs, and international funders. The initiative was recently featured in The Lancet Global Health, accompanied by an expert panel representing every continent. ## Community Health Workers Share Climate Impact Experiences Participants described stark realities of climate change effects on healthcare delivery. Alaouiatu from the Nanani Women and Youth Development Foundation highlighted specific challenges: "We have a lot of rivers and streams, and it is a barrier to our health professionals in crossing those streams to reach settlements to deliver vaccines or medications." ## Strategic Dissemination Plans Emerge Health leaders outlined concrete plans for sharing the survey. Kingsley Kofi Nignere, from Ghana's Community Youth Development Foundation, detailed his organization's approach: "I will share with Ghana Coalition of NGOs in Health, which is made up of 150 members, and Ghana Coalition of NGOs in Climate Change, with 100 members." Paul Oche, working with Malaria Consortium in Nigeria, emphasized reaching diverse sectors: "I will be sharing with my professional colleagues and coursemates in health economics, as well as those in energy and gas and green energy sectors for their perspectives." ## Looking Ahead The survey results will be presented publicly between September and October 2025. Partners are encouraged to complete organizational applications and document their dissemination efforts through a structured process that includes sharing across multiple platforms and tracking reach. The initiative emphasizes three primary areas of investigation: - Observable climate changes in local communities - Health impacts of these changes - Barriers to protecting community health As Mario Chazidamianos noted during the session, "Teach to Reach is turning into something more - a network of proactive professionals looking to take care of the world."

Reach and audience

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Spotify

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 50 / 100

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Quality

90

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

27

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