Using GIS for Reducing Inequities in Immunization in Urban Settings in Nairobi and Kisumu Counties

Caroline Kabaria of the African Population & Health Research Center in Kenya will use geographic information systems (GIS) to map the location of health facilities and community health volunteers in Kenya to identify particularly marginalized slum populations that need better access to health services such as vaccinations. Nairobi and Kisumu contain over 100 slums where residents live in dense and unsanitary conditions. The specific health needs of these residents are difficult to assess from national statistics that often exclude them. To address this, they will conduct an in-depth assessment to identify equity gaps specifically in childhood immunizations. Community health volunteers will be trained to use GIS mapping techniques and to register households, and the data will be integrated with the existing district health information system (DHIS 2). This will be used to produce an interactive map of the two cities that includes the spatial and social structures of informal settlements and the location of health facilities. They will also provide training and guidance to local stakeholders on how to utilize the map to improve vaccination coverage.