Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38970039›Full record

ArticleBMC public health2024

Assessing the impact of COVID-19 on routine immunization in Sierra Leone.

Umaru Sesay, Hector Mario Serna-Chavez, Gebrekrstos Negash Gebru, Jia Bainga Kangbai, Uzoma Ogbonna, James Sylvester Squire, Mirjam Irene Bakker

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC public health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Umaru SesayKIT Royal Tropical Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. sesayumaru4@gmail.com.
Hector Mario Serna-ChavezKIT Royal Tropical Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Gebrekrstos Negash GebruSierra Leone Field Epidemiology Training Program, Emergency Operation Center, National Public Health Agency, Wilkinson Road, Freetown City, Sierra Leone.
Jia Bainga KangbaiDepartment of Environmental Health, Njala University, Bo City, Sierra Leone.
Uzoma OgbonnaSierra Leone Field Epidemiology Training Program, Emergency Operation Center, National Public Health Agency, Wilkinson Road, Freetown City, Sierra Leone.
James Sylvester SquireNational Surveillance Program, Directorate of Health Security and Emergencies, Emergency Operation Center, National Public Health Agency, Wilkinso Road, Freetown City, Sierra Leone.
Mirjam Irene BakkerKIT Royal Tropical Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact on healthcare systems and services, including routine immunization (RI). To date, there is limited information on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on RI in West African countries such as Sierra Leone, which had already experienced public health emergencies that disrupted its healthcare system. Here, we describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the RI of key antigens in Sierra Leone.

methodsWe used vaccination data from the District Health Information System for BCG, measles-rubella 1 and 2, and pentavalent 1 and 3 antigens. We compared 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 annual coverage rates for the selected antigens at the national and district levels. We used the Pearson chi-square test to assess the difference between annual coverage rates between 2019 and 2020, 2020-2021, and 2021-2022.

resultsNational coverage rates for all antigens declined in 2019-2020, notably measles-rubella 1 and pentavalent 3 (-5.4% and - 4.9%). Between 2020 and 2021, there was an overall increase in coverage (+ 0.2% to + 2.5%), except for measles-rubella 2 (-1.8%). Measles-rubella antigens rebounded in 2021-2022, while others decreased between - 0.5 and - 1.9% in coverage. Overall, all district-level coverage rates in 2022 were lower than those in 2019. Most districts decreased between 2019 and 2022, though a few had a continuous increase; some had an increase/recovery between 2020 and 2021; some districts had recovered 2019 levels by 2022.

conclusionThe COVID-19 pandemic impacted Sierra Leone's national BCG, measles-rubella, and pentavalent antigen immunization, which were not fully restored in 2022. Most districts experienced notable coverage declines during the pandemic, though a few reached or surpassed 2019 rates in 2022. Examining pandemic impact can benefit from a focus beyond the national level to identify vulnerable regions. Sierra Leone's post-pandemic RI reestablishment needs targeted strategies and continual investments for equitable access and coverage, as well as to prevent vaccine-preventable diseases.

Indexed as

COVID-19Vaccination CoverageBCG VaccineHumansImmunization ProgramsSierra LeoneBCG VaccineBacillus calmette–guérinBCG vaccineCOVID-19Health Information systemMeasles-RubellaPandemicPentavalent vaccinePublic health emergenciesRoutine immunizationSierra leoneVaccination coverage rate

Identifiers

PMID38970039
PMCPMC11225177

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.