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Lusaka, Zambia – 14th May, 2025
The Ministry of Health has officially launched the 2025 African Vaccination Week, which runs from 14th to 20th May, while also commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in Zambia under the theme, “Immunization for All Humanly Possible, Celebrating 50 Years of EPI.”
Speaking during the launch, Minister of Health Hon. Dr. Elijah Muchima, represented by the Permanent Secretary for Donor Coordination, Dr. George Sinyangwe, emphasized that immunization has been a cornerstone of Zambia’s public health successes, contributing to significant reductions in vaccine-preventable diseases and improved child survival.
Dr. Muchima highlighted key achievements, including the maintenance of a wild polio-free status since 2005, elimination of maternal and neonatal tetanus since 2007, and the vaccination of over 80% of the eligible population against COVID-19 by 2022. He also noted that Zambia’s immunization programme has expanded from initially targeting six diseases to currently covering thirteen under the national schedule.
He further announced that Zambia has recorded a 75% reduction in under-five mortality rates, dropping from 168 to 42 deaths per 1,000 live births between 2002 and 2024, an achievement attributed to investments in child survival interventions, nutrition, early childhood development, and expanded vaccination services.
UNICEF Country Representative, Dr. Penelope Campbell, reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to ensuring every child is protected through immunization. She noted that the African Vaccination Week aims to raise awareness on the importance of immunization, promote the introduction of new vaccines such as HPV, and reinforce national commitment towards equitable and sustainable vaccination coverage.
Dr. Campbell also commended Community-Based Volunteers (CBVs) for their tireless efforts in ensuring children, especially in hard-to-reach areas, receive life-saving vaccines.
WHO Country Representative, Dr. Clement Peter Lasuba, described the campaign as a historic milestone for Zambia, marking 50 years of EPI implementation. He reiterated WHO’s continued support in ensuring vaccine availability but noted persistent challenges such as poor infrastructure and misinformation, which require stronger community engagement to overcome vaccine hesitancy.
Representing the Churches Health Association of Zambia (CHAZ), Mr. Michael Kachumi applauded the tremendous progress made under EPI and reaffirmed CHAZ’s commitment to partnering with government and stakeholders to enhance immunization uptake and policy development. He called for increased resource allocation to further strengthen the programme and ensure vaccines are accessible across all health facilities.
During this week, the Ministry of Health is administering routine vaccines countrywide to children under five years, including OPV, DPT, PCV, Rota, Measles-Rubella, IPV, alongside HPV vaccines for girls aged 9 to 14 years to prevent cervical cancer, and COVID-19 vaccines.
The Ministry also recognized the most outstanding districts in EPI performance, awarding Lusaka Province as Most Improved in Vaccination, Central Province for Best Performance in Polio Surveillance, and Livingstone and Shibuyunji for Most Consistent Vaccine Supply Chain Management.
Zambia’s Expanded Programme on Immunization was launched in 1975, following the World Health Organization’s global initiative, with the Universal Child Immunization programme introduced in 1987.
Ministry of Health – Communications and Public Relations Unit
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Lusaka — African health ministers and partners are calling for increased investment in integrated health services to address the growing burden of severe noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), particularly those affecting women and underserved populations across the region. At a high-level side event during the Seventy-fifth session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa, delegates emphasized the urgent need for equitable access to prevention, screening, treatment, and rehabilitation across the continuum of care for NCDs. Disparities are especially pronounced in rural areas, where health infrastructure and services remain inadequate. Breast and cervical cancers are among the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among women in sub-Saharan Africa—particularly cervical cancer, which is both preventable and treatable. It remains the most common cause of cancer death for women in the region. In 2022, Africa accounted for nearly a quarter (23%) of the 76 000 global cervical cancer deaths. Meanwhile, severe NCDs such as Type 1 diabetes, sickle cell disease, and heart conditions claim more than half a million lives annually, including among children, adolescents, and young adults in some of the continent’s poorest communities. Inequitable access to health services continues to hinder efforts to reduce this burden. To improve cervical and breast cancer care in the region, urgent investment is needed in leadership, governance, and financing. Strengthening these foundations is critical in the current funding landscape. Advancements in strategic planning, healthcare infrastructure, workforce training, and—most importantly—equitable access to screening, diagnostic, and treatment services are essential. To address these challenges, WHO and its partners showcased successful integrated models such as the Women’s Integrated Care for Cancer Services (WICS), the BEAT Breast Cancer Project, and the PEN-Plus Strategy. WICS strengthens early detection, treatment, and integration of women’s cancer services into primary health care systems in Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, and Zimbabwe. The BEAT Breast Cancer Project is a transformative multi-year initiative aimed at reducing breast cancer mortality among women in Tanzania and Ghana through early detection, timely diagnosis, and comprehensive treatment access. “PEN-Plus, WICS and the BEAT Breast Cancer Initiative are models for a new standard of care, rooted in equity, access and health justice. I urge countries to prioritize policies that embed these models into broader health system strengthening, said Dr Mohamed Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa”. Côte d’Ivoire offers a compelling example of progress, combining high HPV vaccination coverage—reaching over three million girls (91.4%)—with WICS-supported community-based screening campaigns to strengthen cervical cancer prevention. In Kenya, cervical cancer screening has been successfully integrated into national health services. “This gathering marks a pivotal moment to accelerate action for breast cancer prevention in Africa. We deeply value the leadership of the Ministries of Health of Ghana and Tanzania, and the steadfast support of the Pfizer Foundation in helping us achieve this milestone. The side event builds momentum for the policy prioritization of women’s cancers, partnerships to strengthen the broader women’s cancer ecosystem, and advance a health-systems approach to breast cancer prevention and management”, said Dr Somesh Kumar, Senior Director, Jhpiego. PEN-Plus expands access to care for severe NCDs at the district hospital level. Since its implementation, 20 countries in Africa have increased access to services for severe NCDs. Over 15 000 people are currently receiving treatment for chronic conditions such as sickle cell disease and Type 1 diabetes through PEN-Plus clinics.