Strengthening routine immunization in Papua New Guinea: implications for post-polio renewal from a cross-sectional provincial assessment of front-line services

Abstract

Abstract Background Routine immunization programs face challenges in settings such as Papua New Guinea: dispersed rural populations, rugged geography, and limited resources for transport and health. Low routine coverage contributes to outbreaks such as measles and the polio that re-appeared in 2018. Diversion of resources to the necessary emergency response can risk further weakening of the routine system. We report on an in-depth local assessment that documented immunization service provision so as to review new national strategy, and consider how emergency polio responses could simultaneously strengthen routine immunization. Methods In East New Britain Province, over 2016 and 17..