Project profile — COVID-19 Vaccine Delivery and Health System Strengthening in Africa

• Nigeria (0.90%)
• Mozambique (16.10%)
• Cameroon (16.00%)
• Senegal (5.44%)
• Côte d'Ivoire (4.90%)
• Malawi (16.10%)
• Congo, Democratic Republic (3.10%)
• Ghana (16.10%)
• Tanzania (0.76%)
• Gambia (11.90%)

• Africa, regional (8.70%)

• Health: COVID-19 control (12264) (100.00%)

• Gender equality (significant objective)
• Nutrition (significant objective)

This project aims to increase equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, particularly among priority groups and vulnerable populations. It also seeks to reinforce health systems through strengthened vaccine delivery, community outreach, data systems, and the delivery of gender-equitable immunization and primary health care in seven target countries in Africa. The project also supports emergency response to the mpox Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) in the Democratic of the Congo (DRC). Project activities include: (1) providing technical support for the implementation and monitoring of vaccination programmes, particularly gender-responsive components; (2) developing vaccination strategies and plans with gender-responsive interventions; and (3) deploying mobile teams to vaccinate priority groups.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) increased COVID-19 vaccination rates among high-priority groups in seven countries. (2) strengthened health systems in seven countries to successfully distribute and deliver COVID-19 vaccines; and (3) developed gender-responsive immunization strategies.

Results achieved at the end of the project (December 2024) include: (1) increased COVID-19 vaccination coverage for the primary series from 28.1% in February 2023 to 33.1% in target countries; (2) developed microplanning at sub-national levels and integrated COVID-19 into other routine services, including clinics for patients living with human immunodeficiency virus, tuberculosis, cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases; (3) vaccinated an additional 29 million individuals with at least 1 COVID-19 dose. 27 million of them completed the primary series, using gender-responsive strategies; and (4) facilitated training on disease surveillance and clinical management for 160 health staff and helped to enhance surveillance and data systems. This enabled contact tracing rates for monkeypox in the DRC to rise from 60% to 83%.

• Proactive disclosure
• Related activities: COVID-19 Vaccine Delivery and Health System Strengthening in Africa