EPI Demand Generation through Community Engagement Interventions

  • Project Timeline:

    August 2024 – February 2025

  • Area of Implementation:

    Peshawar, Lakki Marwat, Bannu

  • Sector:

    Public Health / Immunization / Community Engagement

Funded By:
RSPN

Project Brief

The Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP) successfully implemented the EPI Demand Generation through Community Engagement Interventions initiative to strengthen routine immunization uptake in three high-priority districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The project aimed to address vaccine hesitancy, improve awareness, and promote gender-responsive community engagement by applying Human-Centered Design (HCD) approaches. Through participatory methods, the initiative identified local barriers to vaccination and co-created context-specific solutions with communities, leaders, and health service providers.

Objective

To increase demand for routine immunization by addressing social, behavioral, and gender-related barriers through inclusive, community-driven engagement and strengthened coordination with public health systems.

Summary of Achievements

  • 12,195 community engagement sessions were conducted, reaching families with tailored immunization messages and creating safe spaces for dialogue and clarification of misconceptions.
  • 3,658 individuals expressed clear intent to vaccinate and received direct guidance from trained social organizers.
  • 360 religious, community, and political leaders were engaged and mobilized as advocates for child immunization.
  • 30 EPI micro-plans were jointly developed with public health facilities, improving coordination between vaccinators, outreach teams, and communities.
  • 610 communities actively participated in preparing localized implementation plans, strengthening community ownership of immunization goals.
  • 12,195 community members were informed about safe reporting channels for Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA).
  • 140 frontline workers and community members received focused orientation on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) reporting mechanisms.

Impact

The project significantly strengthened community trust and engagement around routine immunization. By mobilizing local leadership, institutionalizing community ownership, and integrating safeguarding mechanisms, the initiative contributed to improved intent to vaccinate and stronger linkages between communities and immunization services in high-risk districts.

Project gallery