Health, Public Health & Safety
Immunization, Vaccine-Preventable Diseases & Polio Transition
Routine immunisation delivery, cold chain and vaccine-preventable disease surveillance.
Syllabus at a glance
Around 12 weeks of guided study, typically two sessions a week plus independent work, so you can keep working while you study.
| Unit | Study block | Module |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Weeks 1–2 | Vaccines, schedules and immunity basics |
| 2 | Weeks 3–4 | Cold chain and vaccine management |
| 3 | Weeks 5–6 | Session planning, outreach and defaulter tracing |
| 4 | Weeks 7–8 | VPD surveillance and polio transition |
| 5 | Weeks 9–12 | Demand generation and vaccine confidence |
Module breakdown
- 1
Vaccines, schedules and immunity basics
Weeks 1–2Build a shared working vocabulary for vaccines, schedules and immunity basics and set the standards this course expects of you.
What you cover
- Key concepts, terminology and standards behind vaccines, schedules and immunity basics
- Step-by-step methods and templates for vaccines, schedules and immunity basics
- Common problems, risks and mistakes in vaccines, schedules and immunity basics, and how to avoid them
- Applying vaccines, schedules and immunity basics in low-resource and community settings
Assessed work: Case study discussion applying vaccines, schedules and immunity basics to a local scenario.
- 2
Cold chain and vaccine management
Weeks 3–4Work through the methods and tools used for cold chain and vaccine management in day-to-day programme work.
What you cover
- Step-by-step methods and templates for cold chain and vaccine management
- Common problems, risks and mistakes in cold chain and vaccine management, and how to avoid them
- Applying cold chain and vaccine management in low-resource and community settings
Assessed work: Practical task: draft one working document related to cold chain and vaccine management.
- 3
Session planning, outreach and defaulter tracing
Weeks 5–6Practise session planning, outreach and defaulter tracing on realistic case material drawn from Sierra Leonean community and field settings.
What you cover
- Common problems, risks and mistakes in session planning, outreach and defaulter tracing, and how to avoid them
- Applying session planning, outreach and defaulter tracing in low-resource and community settings
- Recording, reporting and communicating your session planning, outreach and defaulter tracing work
Assessed work: Group simulation using session planning, outreach and defaulter tracing under time pressure.
- 4
VPD surveillance and polio transition
Weeks 7–8Turn VPD surveillance and polio transition into documents, plans and decisions your team or employer can actually use.
What you cover
- Applying VPD surveillance and polio transition in low-resource and community settings
- Recording, reporting and communicating your VPD surveillance and polio transition work
- Key concepts, terminology and standards behind VPD surveillance and polio transition
Assessed work: Portfolio entry: reflect on how you will use VPD surveillance and polio transition in your role.
- 5
Demand generation and vaccine confidence
Weeks 9–12Review, quality-check and improve your own demand generation and vaccine confidence work with tutor and peer feedback.
What you cover
- Recording, reporting and communicating your demand generation and vaccine confidence work
- Key concepts, terminology and standards behind demand generation and vaccine confidence
- Step-by-step methods and templates for demand generation and vaccine confidence
Assessed work: Guided exercise: produce a short worked example covering demand generation and vaccine confidence.
Who this course is for
- • Practitioners and volunteers already working in, or moving into, this area of work.
- • Health workers, facility staff and community health volunteers.
- • School leavers and graduates building a first professional portfolio.
Entry requirements
- • Basic literacy and secondary-level education, or relevant practical work experience.
- • Access to a phone, tablet or computer for online and blended study.
- • Commitment to attend sessions and submit assignments on time.
How you are assessed
- • Short module tasks completed during the course.
- • Practical component: Cold chain check and outreach micro-plan exercise.
- • A final assessment or portfolio review covering the full syllabus.
- • Participation in guided sessions, discussions and group exercises.
Materials and support
- • Session handouts, checklists and templates you keep after the course.
- • Case material and worked examples based on community and field practice.
- • Tutor guidance by WhatsApp between sessions.
Certification
Learners who complete all assessments receive an SLIHSD professional certificate of completion. This records completion of an SLIHSD short course and is not presented as an accredited academic award.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the certificate you should be able to:
- Manage a cold chain correctly
- Plan an immunisation outreach session
- Support VPD surveillance reporting
Practical component
Cold chain check and outreach micro-plan exercise.
How this programme is delivered
Online
Guided sessions and assignments you can follow from anywhere with a connection.
Face-to-face
Classroom sessions at our Mile 91 learning centre, including weekend and evening options.
Blended
A mix of online study with periodic in-person workshops, field exercises and simulations.
Ready to start Immunization, Vaccine-Preventable Diseases & Polio Transition?
Applications for the Founding Student Intake 2026 are open. Register your interest and we will guide you to the right programme.