Project Description

Immunization is one of the most cost-effective interventions to prevent deaths from vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs) especially in children. Pakistan has an overall routine immunization coverage of 54% (fully immunized child). Balochistan is particularly least covered province with 16% coverage. Important barriers are (a) physical (b) low literacy, and (c) demand specific. Conventional methods have failed to improve this situation. We used Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform using SMS and Intergrated Voice Recordings (IVR) to remind and persuade parents to get their children vaccinated through a feasibility study.

In a six months pre-post study, the intervention was found to be highly acceptable with visible demand at both the implementation and community levels. We found upward trends in achieving Fully Imunized Child (FIC) status with children being vaccinated against both the measles I and measles II. Especially vaccination against measles II was found to highly encouraging, which improved from 0.43% to 22% among the sampled population. Delays in initiation of vaccination and delays in following the due date were reduced and parents were reminded for vaccination when they either forgot the vaccination date or lost the vaccination card, and in an absence of the vaccination card it was a great opportunity for them. This also facilitated sharing responsibility of vaccination between both the parents.

There were recommendations both from the mothers and health staff to further improve, computerize and upscale the intervention for greater good of the children in the province.