Sespa holds workshops for High Quality Vaccination activities (Avaq)

The State Department of Public Health (Sespa), through the Immunization Division, began this Monday, in Belém, an update seminar on microplanning of High Quality Vaccination (Avaq) activities of routine programs, intensifications and campaigns.

The event continues until this Tuesday (07) and consists of improving facilitators who work in areas related to immunization, epidemiological surveillance and primary health care, to replicate the methodology in the 144 municipalities of Pará.

Microplanning is a method focused on Basic Health Units to achieve vaccination goals, based on the systematic organization of immunization activities and with broad participation of leaders and communities.

Furthermore, it involves detailed planning of actions, from defining the target population, choosing vaccines, defining vaccination dates and locations, to the logistics of transporting and storing the vaccines. Also part of the execution of Avaq microplanning is the training of professionals, a structured vaccination room and cold chain, correct use of information systems to be able to record and evaluate vaccination coverage.

Sespa’s Immunization Coordinator, Jaira Ataíde, explains that holding the seminar is also important to guarantee the technical improvement of professionals involved with the application of vaccines and the greater effectiveness of vaccination in municipalities. “The microplanning process is essential so that all stages of vaccination are carried out properly and safely, reaching as many people as possible”, she highlights.

Jaíra believes that participating in the workshop is a way of bringing new experiences to be applied to guide vaccination actions and planning in the municipality. “Our objective is to improve vaccination coverage and offer quality immunization for the entire population,” she highlighted. The seminar is expected to train around 200 health professionals.

In her explanation on the first day of the workshop, the coordinator of Primary Health Care in Pará, Sâmela Galvão, highlighted the need for technicians to observe the structuring of the flow and monitoring of vaccination actions in the municipalities. “After the pandemic, maintaining adequate vaccination coverage became a challenge. All the knowledge that is acquired will help us face this challenge”, she pointed out.

Conducted by members of the State Committee for High Quality Vaccination Activities (Avaq), the program also involves explanations from representatives of Regional Health Centers and municipalities about the “challenges, advances and impact on vaccination coverage and the next steps of integrated work to apply the microplanning methodology for high-quality vaccination.