On April 9, 2026, NGO Reaching Zero-Dose Children facilitated a malaria vaccine communication workshop at Ensign Global University in Kpong, Ghana, as one session of a three-day workshop hosted by the Brazza International Foundation.
The session brought together approximately 50 frontline health workers who engage with caregivers and children, including midwives, nurses, community health officers, traditional birth attendants, rural health workers, and community volunteers. The workshop provided a space to reflect together on how to address caregivers’ vaccine-related concerns, support them with empathy, and build trust.
This workshop focused on communication between health workers and caregivers around the malaria vaccine. An interactive format combining role-play, guided reflection, and group discussion was used. Participants rotated through the roles of health worker, caregiver, and observer, reenacting conversations that could take place in real-world settings. Through this process, they learned from each other about how to listen carefully and empathetically to concerns, how to deliver accurate information in a clear and respectful way, and how to uphold each one’s dignity and autonomy in vaccine-related decision-making.
During the session, participants shared the realities they face in their daily work, including concerns about vaccine safety and side effects, misinformation circulating in communities, and the influence of family members and others on vaccination decisions. Together, they reflected on the importance of not approaching communication as one-way persuasion, but instead beginning by listening, understanding concerns, and building trust through conversations.
We believe that reaching more children with life-saving vaccines requires not only expanding physical access to vaccination, but also strengthening trusted communication within communities. This workshop created an opportunity for frontline health workers to bring their own experience and wisdom into the discussion while developing more practical communication skills. It was also a valuable opportunity for participants from diverse settings across Ghana to come together and exchange lessons beyond the boundaries of their own communities.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Dr. Sakamaki and Dr. Abe, who are currently studying at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and serving as interns with the Brazza International Foundation, for leading the program planning and on-site facilitation of this session. Their expertise and thoughtful facilitation helped create a supportive environment where participants could learn openly and confidently.
We are equally grateful to the colleagues at Ensign Global University who supported this workshop locally, and to all the participants who joined the session despite their busy daily responsibilities and shared their honest experiences and perspectives. Each participant’s contribution helped make this a rich and meaningful learning space.
The small, everyday conversations led by frontline health workers can make a profound difference in protecting children’s health and strengthening confidence in vaccination. We continue working together with local partners to further advance equitable immunization and help ensure that no one is left behind.
