Global Guidelines: Independent Monitoring of Polio Supplementary Immunization Activities (SIA)

This guide from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) is designed for polio eradication programme managers who are involved in the planning and operations of supplementary immunisation activities (SIA). It explains how to establish a system of independent and credible monitoring of SIAs in an effort to provide reliable and timely data to monitor progress and take corrective action. As described here, "Independent monitoring of SIAs is an objective measure of SIA quality that can be used to guide improvements to reach more children by enabling corrective action both during SIAs and in planning for the next rounds."

The resource includes concrete guidance for those involved in SIA independent monitoring, organised around these main steps: select areas to be monitored and team requirements; establish management process under World Health Organization (WHO) responsibility; recruit and train appropriate monitors ("The method should focus on practical operational issues with exercises and role-play to ensure the participation and involvement of the participants."); deploy independent monitors to the field; supervise their field work; collect reports, analyse these reports, and provide feedback for corrective action; and consolidate reports for national, regional, and global availability. In addition to details about those steps, several annexes provide guidance in the forms of maps, charts, workplans, and forms.