VRSA
Assessing and Increasing Vaccine Readiness in sub-Saharan Africa
Context
Despite significant progress in immunisation coverage in recent decades, the objectives of many Global Vaccine Action Plans have not been met. For many countries, the COVID-19 pandemic was a further impediment to achieving their target vaccination coverage, as they had to shift their focus to the introduction of COVID-19 vaccines, which negatively impacted the delivery of other, equally needed vaccines. Readiness to introduce vaccines is key to reducing the burden of communicable diseases on health systems – during public health emergencies, but also in general. The whole population benefits when a country is prepared for and capable of introducing new vaccines. Focusing on Guinea, due to its needs and established collaboration structures, the project aims to accelerate the country’s vaccine readiness and uptake of new vaccines for future health crises such as epidemics.
Objective
Increasing the readiness to be vaccinated and the use of new vaccines in Guinea.
Thematic priorities
Facts
Activities
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Research and provision of evidence
Identifying factors that inhibit or promote vaccination readiness during health crises; identifying challenges to maintaining routine immunisation and introducing new vaccines from the COVID-19 pandemic; surveying current readiness to introduce new vaccines for future health crises at national and community levels.
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Networking and cooperation
Deriving recommendations for strengthening national immunisation programmes and introducing new vaccines in health crises in project countries, using evidence collaboratively with project countries and international stakeholders.
