Deadline: August 9, 2023 | BILL & MELINDA GATES Immunization Grant Program
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The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Immunization Program Strategy Team is seeking proposals for a rapid learning project to study the factors that contribute to drop-off from the primary baby series to the 9-month touch point and develop strategies to improve retention.
This project will complement the zero-dose work that the Foundation, Gavi, and Alliance partners are focusing on. While the zero-dose work focuses on access (finding and reaching children who have never received immunizations), this project will focus on retention (how can they keep families in the immunization program and decrease the number of MCV0 children?).
Although vaccines are supposed to be given at 9 months, there are well-documented delays all around the world. The study should be able to determine the exact age at which MCV and all other 9-month contact point antigens applicable to the nation are administered. It should also be able to identify pertinent time periods during which caregivers are taking their children to medical facilities for other treatments.
Goals
- Primary data collection from EPI, HCWs, and caregivers as well as analysis and synthesis of already-existing data are planned.
- The quick and solution-focused deployment should be described in the project design. The method may need to go through a number of learning and adjusting sprints as the project progresses.
- Utilizing a human-centered design approach, find opportunities to enhance access and engagement at this touchpoint and decrease dropout from DTP3 to MCV1. The learning agenda’s outcomes should be directly related to any prospective interventions, whether they are aimed at changing systems, behavior, communications (such as demand generation), etc. Designing collaboratively with the community, medical professionals, and local government is encouraged.
- To increase MCV and other 9-month immunization coverage, share findings with local governments, regional partners, and international organizations.
Anticipated results
This grant is anticipated to produce the following results:
Initial report covering the work schedule and techniques.
A significant achievement will be the government’s involvement and agreement on the technique.
monthly updates on progress by email or meeting.
Presentations of the final report to local, regional, and international partners.
findings publication(s).
Locational Focus
The study will involve multiple (4+) nations in order to collect various viewpoints and find recurring themes. Priority interest has been narrowed down to the following nations (based on the Measles and Rubella Initiative focus, national population, MCV1 coverage, and dropout from DTP3), while they are willing to take into account other regions with compelling justifications and national interests as well:
- Angola
- In Burkina Faso
- DRC
- Ethiopia
- Liberia
- Madagascar
- Mali
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
The countries will be chosen as part of the grant development, thus applicants should suggest focus regions along with their justification. All suggested nations ought to be Gavi-eligible or in the transitional phase.
Timeline
The award period is anticipated to last two years because this research involves rapid learning.
Criteria
Concept note submissions are accepted for a variety of application kinds, including the following:
A consortium of partners with a primary grantee identified who will coordinate across the other partners and countries and who will serve as the focal point for Gates Foundation engagement, one organization that will carry out work across all countries, or an organization that can support one or more countries and is willing to join a consortium of partners, to be determined and co-created with the Gates Foundation team.
Please include a justification if your organization is qualified to act as the lead grantee and collaborate with the partners if your proposal is for work in a single nation.
This award will not be given to for-profit entities.
Visit the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for further details.
