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Nineteen mass vaccination campaigns are being implemented in July
Administered COVID-19 doses rose by 74% in June 2022 compared to the previous month after a sustained three-month decrease between March and May. This is due to mass COVID-19 vaccination campaigns in 16 countries in June. Nineteen mass vaccination campaigns are being implemented in July.
The dramatic rise in vaccines doses administered has pushed six countries beyond the critical benchmark of having more than 10% of their total population completing their primary series of vaccine doses. This has reduced the number of countries in the below 10% category from 14 to eight. Among countries that stepped-up vaccination campaigns in June are Tanzania where vaccination coverage for a completed primary series rose from 1.8 to 15.8% while South Sudan rose from 2% to 11%.
As of 10 July 2022, 282 million people on the continent had completed their primary series, representing 21.1% of Africa’s population. This is an increase in vaccinations by 10% since the beginning of the year. More than 892 million vaccines have been delivered to Africa, 64% of which are from the COVAX Facility.
This uptick in vaccination coverage shows that African countries remain committed to COVID-19 vaccination
“This uptick in vaccination coverage shows that African countries remain committed to COVID-19 vaccination,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa. “This is encouraging because vaccination remains the most effective tool in our response to COVID-19 on the continent.”
Several countries that struggled to get their COVID-19 vaccination responses off the ground in 2021 have made notable progress in scaling up coverage for their primary series in the last six months. Coverage in Ethiopia jumped from 3.5% to 33%, Cote d’Ivoire, from 9% to 25.8%, Zambia, from 3.5% to 25.2%, and Uganda, from 4.4% to 25.5%.
WHO is providing technical support to countries to implement mass vaccination campaigns or to conduct routine immunization activities more frequently in the next six months, targeting high-priority groups, including health workers, people older than 60 years and people with co-morbidities. It is working closely with countries to review lessons learnt, including sustainability of different mass vaccination campaign strategies deployed by countries to improve coverage over the past two months.
COVID-19 vaccination in Africa remains focused on adults older than 18 years; only 7% of doses administered in 23 countries were given to children and adolescents younger than 18. The median coverage among adults older than 18 years who have completed their primary series is 34%.
“Across the continent, there are ongoing efforts for the integration of the COVID-19 vaccination into primary health care services,” said Dr Moeti. “Primary health care facilities currently function as one-stop shops for a range of health services. We are building on the experience garnered to ensure an all-inclusive primary health care approach is implemented for COVID-19 vaccination.”
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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.
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