Vaccination campaigns are a delivery strategy used to quickly reach large numbers of children/individuals with one or more vaccines They can be conducted at the national or sub-national level, single antigen or integrated depending on the country needs and objectives. There are different types of vaccination campaigns:

Supplementary immunization campaigns/activities (SIAs) deliver vaccination to all targeted individuals regardless of their vaccination status (prior history). The aim is to rapidly raise population level immunity and reduce the number of susceptibles in order to achieve disease control or elimination goals.

Planning and Implementing High-Quality Supplementary Immunization Activities (SIAs) for Injectable Vaccines

Periodic Intensification of Routine Immunization (PIRI), is a term that describes a spectrum of time-limited, intermittent activities/campaigns used to administer routine vaccinations to under-vaccinated populations and/or raise awareness of the benefits of vaccination.  PIRIs can take many forms; examples include Child Health Days, Child Health Weeks, and National Vaccination Weeks. By definition, the vaccine doses provided during a PIRI activity are considered routine, rather than supplemental – this means individuals are screened for eligibility based on age and immunization history, and the doses administered are recorded on vaccination cards and registers, and included in national administrative coverage figures.

Periodic Intensification of Routine Immunization (PIRI) 

Criteria to determine if a given vaccination is a routine or supplemental dose: This clarification is important to ensure that the necessary recording and reporting practices are planned and properly implemented, and that in turn, the accuracy and reliability of reported national routine coverage is improved.

WHO-UNICEF Guidance Note: Criteria to determine if a given vaccination is a routine or supplemental dose

For many programmes, health campaigns are an important means to reach target populations missed by, or to supplement, routine services. However, in settings where multiple health campaigns frequently occur, the way in which funds are mobilized, managed, allocated, monitored and evaluated often poses challenges to integration. Planning and implementation are often carried out in parallel, with little communication or collaboration among health campaigns and inadequate coordination with country health systems. This results in strategic and operational inefficiencies and inequities that can strain health systems, burden health care workers, weaken health services and limit the potential health impact of health campaigns.

 Here we have developed a guide to entitled “Implementing integrated health campaigns: decision-making and planning guide”. The guide aligns with the Collaborative Action Strategy (CAS) for Health Campaign Effectiveness in terms of planning and implementation, monitoring, evaluation, research, learning and adaptation, and financing for integrated health campaigns. The first part of this guide outlines what is needed for a high-level decision-making process and developing a multi-year cross-campaign integrated workplan, and calendar for campaign integration. The second part of the guide summarizes the key considerations, best practices and lessons learned in implementing integrated campaigns. It draws upon country case-studies and is organized into planning time periods – before, during and after – an integrated campaign.