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Immunisation Advocacy Champions

Immunisation Advocacy Champions

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Introduction

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In 2021, the Nursing Now Challenge and the Sabin Vaccine Institute’s Immunization Advocates programme launched a Storytelling Challenge as part of the Nursing Now Challenge Global Solutions Initiative to elevate the voices and perspectives of nurses and midwives with the aim of influencing discussions and decisions on vaccine equity and acceptance at local, national and global levels. Seven winners were selected as a result of this challenge and were given the opportunity to take part in a six-week training course led by a leading storytelling and leadership trainer Dr. Pedja Stojicic, Executive Director of People Power Health. The chosen winners also received $1,000 each in prize money to develop their advocacy ideas with the aim of promoting vaccine equity and acceptance.
 
Read about our Immunisation Advocacy Champions and their work below.


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Rashid Mang’anda

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Rashid Mang’anda is a registered nurse working at the Phalombe District Hospital, Malawi. Rashid is the district coordinator for Maternal and Child Health programme. He is also the COVID-19 surveillance and response focal person.

After taking part in the Storytelling Challenge and following continued low acceptance and uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine, Rashid explored health care worker vaccine hesitancy as one of the main attributing factors. He organised a COVID-19 vaccine advocacy campaign targeting all health care workers of all cadres in the district of Phalombe. The team of facilitators travelled around health facilities in the district in order to address…
  • myths and misconceptions about COVID19
  • characteristics of COVID-19 vaccines
  • vaccine hesitancy among healthcare workers
Rashid also visited secondary and tertiary boarding schools to assess COVID-19 preparedness and to advocate for the COVID-19 vaccine.

The objectives were to:
  • Improve COVID-19 vaccine uptake through vaccine advocacy
  • Enhance coordination between health and education departments
  • Assess and perform COVID-19 tests on students.
In recent times, Rashid and his team have had to deal with the impact of flooding across the district and have continued to work hard to bring the vaccine to those living in refugee camps.

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Rose Nakame

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Rose Nakame is a registered nurse working in Uganda and is the Executive Director of REMI East Africa, a health equity NGO.

Following her participation in the Storytelling Challenge, Rose decided to invest her prize money in creating storytelling training to encourage health workers in rural and semi-urban areas in Uganda to share their experiences through storytelling while carrying out COVID-19 vaccination.

Through REMI East Africa, Rose conducted the storytelling training for COVID-19 vaccine equity and acceptance and introduced the importance of sharing experiences and telling stories as a way of advocating for change.

Rose spoke to several nurses and midwives about their experience of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout and created these videos to share their stories with the world.  


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Mpho Shelile

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Mpho Shelile is a nurse-midwife currently working as a lecturer at the National University of Lesotho.

“My solution involved capacity development for community and primary health care nurses on versatility and effective engagement skills to address COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy as well a show to use stories,” explained Mpho.

Mpho contacted hospital nurse managers and briefed them on the project and began to train nurses and provide them with the necessary skills to engage with communities and promote increased COVID-19 vaccine acceptance.

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Amy Staley

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Amy is a Staff Nurse working on an Orthopedic/Vascular Medical Surgical unit at NYP/Weill Cornell. As a Charge Nurse, Preceptor, and Co-Chair of the Nursing Communications Committee, Amy enjoys engaging with other nurses from diverse backgrounds. Amy was the 2021 Nursing Clinical Excellence Award: Rising Star at NYP/Weill Cornell and recently began her Master’s degree in advanced clinical leadership and management at Columbia University.

Having been selected as a winner of the Nursing Now Challenge and Sabin Vaccine Institute Storytelling Challenge, Amy created the project, “Frontline Friends.”
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Amy visited organisations, such as the New York Foundling where she met with leadership teams and discussed vaccine advocacy efforts. She also worked with the Alliance Lower East Side Harm Reduction Center. This particular organisation focuses on reducing the spread of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, and other drug-related harm.

“This project has brought a great deal of joy and togetherness, even in its beginning stages. I look forward to what lies within the future and am hopeful that the future includes an increase in vaccination rates throughout the United States. One of the most important things that I have learned from this project is the power of conversation. I feel so grateful to have had the opportunity to connect with many individuals in person given the current circumstances of our city and am looking into new ways to connect virtually as well,” Amy Staley. 
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Conclusion

Today, in partnership with the Sabin Vaccine Institute, the Nursing Now Challenge is working to support these nurses and the development of their advocacy activities. They are now known as the Immunisation Advocacy Champions and will work with us over the coming year to elevate the voices and perspectives of early-career nurses and midwives relating to vaccine equity and acceptance.

Read more about the Immunisation Advocacy Champions here.


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