COVID-19 Vaccination in the WHO African Region: Progress Made in 2022 and Factors Associated.

This study summarizes progress made in rolling out COVID-19 vaccinations in the African region in 2022, and analyzes factors associated with vaccination coverage. Data on vaccine uptake reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa by Member States between January 2021 and December 2022, as well as publicly available health and socio-economic data, were used. A negative binomial regression was performed to analyze factors associated with vaccination coverage in 2022. As of the end of 2022, 308.1 million people had completed the primary vaccination series, representing 26.4% of the region's population, compared to 6.3% at the end of 2021. The percentage of health workers with complete primary series was 40.9%. Having carried out at least one high volume mass vaccination campaign in 2022 was associated with high vaccination coverage (ß = 0.91, p < 0.0001), while higher WHO funding spent per person vaccinated in 2022 was correlated with lower vaccination coverage (ß = -0.26, p < 0.03). All countries should expand efforts to integrate COVID-19 vaccinations into routine immunization and primary health care, and increase investment in vaccine demand generation during the transition period that follows the acute phase of the pandemic.

Progress with COVID-19 vaccination in the WHO African Region in 2021.

Introduction: as of end 2021, ten different vaccines have received Emergency use listing by the World Health Organisation. The vaccination response to the COVID pandemic started in February 2021 in the WHO African Region. WHO proposed a national coverage target of fully vaccinated population of 40% by the end of December 2021. This manuscript attempts to review the progress in the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccination in the African Region. Methods: we analysed the aggregate COVID-19 vaccine uptake and utilization data from the immunisation monitoring databases set up by countries and shared with the WHO Regional Office for Africa. Results: as of 31 December 2021, a total of 340,663,156 doses of COVID-19 vaccine were received in 46 countries in the African Region. The weekly average doses administered was 4,069,934 throughout the year. In the same period, a total of 114,498,980 persons received at least one dose, and 71,862,108 people were fully vaccinated, amounting to 6.6% of the total population in the Region. Only 5 countries attained the target of 40% full vaccination coverage. Disaggregated information was not available from all countries on the number of persons vaccinated by gender, and according to the priority population groupings. A total of 102,046 cases of adverse events following immunisation (AEFIs) were reported among which 6,260 (6.1%) were labelled as severe AEFIs. Conclusion: COVID-19 vaccination coverage remains very low in the African Region, with all but 5 countries missing the 40% coverage target as of December 2021. Countries, donors and partners should mobilise political will and resources towards the attainment of the coverage targets. Countries will need to implement vaccination efforts using tailored approaches to reach unreached populations. The reporting gaps indicate the need to invest on efforts to improve the capture, analysis and use of more granular program data.

Progress with COVID-19 vaccination in the WHO African Region in 2021

Introduction as of end 2021, ten different vaccines have received Emergency use listing by the World Health Organisation. The vaccination response to the COVID pandemic started in February 2021 in the WHO African Region. WHO proposed a national coverage target of fully vaccinated population of 40% by the end of December 2021. This manuscript attempts to review the progress in the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccination in the African Region. Methods we analysed the aggregate COVID-19 vaccine uptake and utilization data from the immunisation monitoring databases set up by countries and shared with the WHO Regional Office for Africa. Results as of 31 December 2021, a total of 340,663,156 doses of COVID-19 vaccine were received in 46 countries in the African Region. The weekly average doses administered was 4,069,934 throughout the year. In the same period, a total of 114,498,980 persons received at least one dose, and 71,862,108 people were fully vaccinated, amounting to 6.6% of the total population in the Region. Only 5 countries attained the target of 40% full vaccination coverage. Disaggregated information was not available from all countries on the number of persons vaccinated by gender, and according to the priority population groupings. A total of 102,046 cases of adverse events following immunisation (AEFIs) were reported among which 6,260 (6.1%) were labelled as severe AEFIs. Conclusion COVID-19 vaccination coverage remains very low in the African Region, with all but 5 countries missing the 40% coverage target as of December 2021. Countries, donors and partners should mobilise political will and resources towards the attainment of the coverage targets. Countries will need to implement vaccination efforts using tailored approaches to reach unreached populations. The reporting gaps indicate the need to invest on efforts to improve the capture, analysis and use of more granular program data.