Childhood vaccination catch-up and recovery plans for mitigating immunity gap post the COVID-19 pandemic: A case study of selected African countries

Abstract

Since the start of the pandemic, routine vaccination has been delayed or suspended in many countries. Over one-third of countries have had continued disruptions to routine immunization programs in 2021. Since 2020, there has been an increase in zero-dose children, leading to a substantial immunity gap in many developing countries. Unvaccinated children have become susceptible to outbreaks due to missed immunization doses. Post-pandemic, measles, polio, and cholera outbreaks have occurred. To address this challenge, UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) have launched the Big Catch-up campaign to accelerate catch-up efforts, promote recovery, and enhance routine immunization programs in priority countries.

This paper outlines the prevalent challenges associated with reaching underserved children over the past four years, with a focus on the implementation of catch-up and recovery initiatives in 10 countries in two regions of Africa (East and Southern Africa (ESAR) and West and Central Africa Region (WCAR).

The study findings indicated that it was feasible to identify children who had not received any vaccinations in the country by utilizing various data sources documented in research papers. An initial obstacle encountered was locating these children within the community. Thematic analysis of the plans culminated in categorizing the primary challenge, initially involving vaccinating children over 2 years old per national policy. The subsequent difficulties encompassed identifying these children, generating demand for vaccinations among older children, and reporting on the population of children who had not received any vaccines. The strategies primarily revolved around fortifying the data system to capture these zero-dose children, implementing catch-up campaigns, and the Periodic Intensification of Routine Immunization (PIRI). The successful execution of the proposed strategies may diminish immunity gaps and reinforce routine immunization services, aligning with the IA2030 agenda.