The whole-of-society approach of mass COVID-19 vaccination in China: a qualitative study
Abstract Background Many countries have an inefficient vaccination system, which hinders global exit from the COVID-19 pandemic. It is vital to summarize COVID-19 vaccination practices in countries with high vaccination coverage and provide implications for other countries. This study aimed to inves...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Health Research Policy and Systems |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-022-00947-7 |
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| author | Qian Wang Zhiqiang Qu Shiyi Tu Xi Chen Zhiyuan Hou |
| author_facet | Qian Wang Zhiqiang Qu Shiyi Tu Xi Chen Zhiyuan Hou |
| author_sort | Qian Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Many countries have an inefficient vaccination system, which hinders global exit from the COVID-19 pandemic. It is vital to summarize COVID-19 vaccination practices in countries with high vaccination coverage and provide implications for other countries. This study aimed to investigate China’s COVID-19 vaccination system and to summarize its implementation experience from a health system perspective. Methods We conducted key informant interviews in five representative cities of China in late 2021. Guided by the health systems framework proposed by WHO, we developed our interview guidelines which included seven building blocks—leadership and governance, health workforce, vaccination service delivery, vaccination mobilization and communication, financing, access to vaccines, and information systems. Semi-structured interviews and COVID-19 vaccination policy documents were collected and coded using a thematic analysis approach. Results A total of 61 participants (nine vaccination programme directors of the local Center for Disease Control and Prevention, four government staff and 48 vaccination service workers) were interviewed. We found that China adopted a whole-of-society approach with adequate government engagement and linked health and non-health sectors to promote COVID-19 vaccination. Key measures included the collaboration of multiple systems and departments from a governance perspective, allocating sufficient health workers and resources, large-scale vaccination mobilization and communication, expansion of vaccine financing channels, localized production and digital information systems. With the vaccination system strengthening, the two-doses vaccination coverage reached 89.5% for the total population but relatively lower coverage for older adults as of July 2022. Conclusions Our study highlights the importance of a government-led whole-of-society approach to promote mass vaccination. The low vaccination coverage among older adults should be paid the greatest attention to. The experiences and lessons from China may serve as a reference for other countries. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T04:03:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3fd263a6a7cc4aef94864b283c3584da |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1478-4505 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T04:03:54Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health Research Policy and Systems |
| spelling | doaj.art-3fd263a6a7cc4aef94864b283c3584da2023-01-01T12:30:26ZengBMCHealth Research Policy and Systems1478-45052022-12-0120111010.1186/s12961-022-00947-7The whole-of-society approach of mass COVID-19 vaccination in China: a qualitative studyQian Wang0Zhiqiang Qu1Shiyi Tu2Xi Chen3Zhiyuan Hou4School of Public Health, Fudan UniversitySchool of Public Health, Fudan UniversitySchool of Public Health, Fudan UniversityDepartment of Health Policy and Management, Yale School of Public HealthSchool of Public Health, Fudan UniversityAbstract Background Many countries have an inefficient vaccination system, which hinders global exit from the COVID-19 pandemic. It is vital to summarize COVID-19 vaccination practices in countries with high vaccination coverage and provide implications for other countries. This study aimed to investigate China’s COVID-19 vaccination system and to summarize its implementation experience from a health system perspective. Methods We conducted key informant interviews in five representative cities of China in late 2021. Guided by the health systems framework proposed by WHO, we developed our interview guidelines which included seven building blocks—leadership and governance, health workforce, vaccination service delivery, vaccination mobilization and communication, financing, access to vaccines, and information systems. Semi-structured interviews and COVID-19 vaccination policy documents were collected and coded using a thematic analysis approach. Results A total of 61 participants (nine vaccination programme directors of the local Center for Disease Control and Prevention, four government staff and 48 vaccination service workers) were interviewed. We found that China adopted a whole-of-society approach with adequate government engagement and linked health and non-health sectors to promote COVID-19 vaccination. Key measures included the collaboration of multiple systems and departments from a governance perspective, allocating sufficient health workers and resources, large-scale vaccination mobilization and communication, expansion of vaccine financing channels, localized production and digital information systems. With the vaccination system strengthening, the two-doses vaccination coverage reached 89.5% for the total population but relatively lower coverage for older adults as of July 2022. Conclusions Our study highlights the importance of a government-led whole-of-society approach to promote mass vaccination. The low vaccination coverage among older adults should be paid the greatest attention to. The experiences and lessons from China may serve as a reference for other countries.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-022-00947-7COVID-19 vaccineMass vaccinationVaccination systemWhole-of-societyQualitative studyInterview |
| spellingShingle | Qian Wang Zhiqiang Qu Shiyi Tu Xi Chen Zhiyuan Hou The whole-of-society approach of mass COVID-19 vaccination in China: a qualitative study Health Research Policy and Systems COVID-19 vaccine Mass vaccination Vaccination system Whole-of-society Qualitative study Interview |
| title | The whole-of-society approach of mass COVID-19 vaccination in China: a qualitative study |
| title_full | The whole-of-society approach of mass COVID-19 vaccination in China: a qualitative study |
| title_fullStr | The whole-of-society approach of mass COVID-19 vaccination in China: a qualitative study |
| title_full_unstemmed | The whole-of-society approach of mass COVID-19 vaccination in China: a qualitative study |
| title_short | The whole-of-society approach of mass COVID-19 vaccination in China: a qualitative study |
| title_sort | whole of society approach of mass covid 19 vaccination in china a qualitative study |
| topic | COVID-19 vaccine Mass vaccination Vaccination system Whole-of-society Qualitative study Interview |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-022-00947-7 |
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