Knowledge and practice of health workers, health extension workers and community volunteer surveillance focal persons towards AFP case detection and reporting in pastoralist and semipastoralist areas of Ethiopia

Background: Ethiopia initiated surveillance in 1997 and AFP forms part of the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) which was adopted in 1998. However, the country remains at high risk because of a number of reasons. Objective: to assess AFP surveillance status and enhance better AFP case detection in CGPP implementation semi-pastoralist and pastoralist woredas (districts). Methods: The study used cross sectional qualitative methods involving key informant interviews with Health Extension Workers (HEWs) and Community Volunteer Surveillance Focal Persons (CVSFPs) selected using criteria that included representativeness and feasibility. Results: A total of 70 HEWs were interviewed in the nine study districts (woredas). Forty one (58.6%) were females and 29 (41.4%) were males. Asked about AFP case definition 12 (17.1%) answered points related to acute and flaccid paralysis, and 49(70%) mentioned flaccid paralysis only. A total of 71 CVSFPs were interviewed from the nine study districts (woredas). Thirty five (49.3%) were female and while 36 (50.7%) were male. The case definition of AFP included paralysis from 20(28.2%) respondents and acute paralysis from7 (9.9% ). Recommendations: strengthening of awareness of women, families and communities through targeted IEC interventions on causes, transmission , prevention of polio identification of AFP cases and care seeking; training and strengthening of supportive supervision HEWs community volunteers and health workers; establishing or strengthening of forums to involve stakeholders, religious and community elders and their institutions; involving kebele or other formal leaders to take responsibility on AFP identification, and subsequent actions.