Testing a Biometric Identification System to Improve Malaria Vaccine Completion

Testing a Biometric Identification System to Improve Malaria Vaccine Completion

Receiving all four doses of the malaria vaccine can significantly protect children against malaria illness, hospitalization, and death. However, in Ghana, only 46% of children complete the full vaccination sequence. More broadly, many children in Ghana do not receive the full set of recommended pediatric vaccinations. To address this, Simprints, in collaboration with Ghana Health Services, will implement a digital vaccination record system linked to biometrics. This system will automatically identify children who are behind on their vaccination schedule, providing health workers with information to prioritize community outreach. Additionally, it will send voice message reminders to caregivers to improve compliance. A cluster-randomized controlled trial (c-RCT) will be conducted in the Oti region to measure the impact of this innovation on the proportion of children completing malaria and routine vaccination schedules.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Pregnant women (in the last two trimesters), aged 15-49 years old, who do not plan to permanently move in the next 12 months.
• Women with children under 6 months old, aged 15-49 years old, who do not plan to permanently move in the next 12 months.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Non-age-eligible women.
• Men and non-emancipated minors.
• Women who do not consent.