Baird's CMC | A Unique Global Communications Management Consultancy

Global Health Discourse 2023

Tel: +44 (0) 1495 828300
Email: team@bairdscmc.com
  • E-mail
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
Menu
  • Home
    • Sexual and Reproductive Health
    • Stakeholder Mapping & Strategy
    • New Services
    • Qualitative & Policy
    • Communications and Management Consultancy
    • Close
  • About us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Our specialist areas
    • Case studies
      • EDCTP sub-Saharan Africa policy research
      • Emerging Democracies and Green Issues
      • Gauging Attitudes Toward an HIV Vaccine
      • Increasing Immunization Coverage in Central India
      • Close
    • Close
  • Network
    • Network map
    • Associates
      • Michael Acott
      • Ashoek Adhikari
      • Francois Baird
      • Gerhard Butschi
      • Steve Bowers
      • Mark Chataway
      • Lenore Cooney
      • Paul Dillon
      • Marta Dourado
      • Martina Dörmann
      • Dirk Van Eeden
      • Alexandra Fullem
      • Frederick Fussi
      • Ingrid Gavshon MBA
      • Denise Gee
      • Denise Gray-Felder
      • Bert Griesel
      • Aman Gupta
      • Darren Jones
      • Danie Kok
      • Andrzej Kropiwnicki
      • Angelle Kwemo
      • Nikolay Kudryashov
      • Mari Lee
      • Simba Makoni
      • Steve Mallach
      • Terry Mandel
      • Matshidiso Masire
      • Valeria McFarren
      • Hugh McKinney
      • Chris Opperman
      • Ken Rabin
      • Mark Rittenberg
      • Simon Russell
      • Jacob Sesinyi
      • Melinda Shaw
      • Cormac Smith
      • James Snodgrass
      • Hema Viswanathan
      • Mina Volovitch
      • Gillian Waddell
      • Joseph Makwata Wambia
      • Chris Ward
      • Gysbert J Wessels
      • Marion Zibelli
      • Close
    • Senior consultants
      • Simon Hardie
      • Close
    • Close
  • Services
    • New Services
      • Media Training
      • Presentation Skills
      • Staff Engagement
      • Reputation Management
      • Close
    • Services
      • Communications counsel
      • New media strategy
      • Advocacy and coalition building
      • Crisis management
      • Market research
      • Strategic planning
      • Staff training and development
      • Risk management and mitigation
      • Close
    • Close
  • Sectors
    • Vaccine Hesitancy
    • Pharma in top 15 markets
    • Pharma in emerging markets
    • Pharma in underdeveloped markets
    • Pharma headquarters planning teams on market assessment
    • Global Development: Health Issues
    • Global Development: Environmental Issues
    • Health equity and access to care
    • Reproductive health and population
    • Vaccines
    • International Donors
    • Government Relations
    • Political Consulting
    • Telecom Sector
    • Financial Services
    • Close
  • News
  • ShopTalk
  • Get in Touch

An astonishing decline in child immunisation numbers in Africa amid the rage of COVID-19, yet another victim of the pandemic

UNICEF reports that a staggering 23 million children worldwide missed out on essential vaccines through routine immunisation services due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On the Day of the African Child, 16th April 2022, we take an in-depth look into how African children were affected by this plight, as seen through the eyes of local communities. With just a mobile phone, some online training and production and editing managed remotely; we interviewed three people on the ground in Africa. A community health worker, an Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) manager, and a three-year-old child’s mother.

Pamela Anyango, a community health worker from Nairobi, Kenya, tells her experience with routine immunisation challenges and how she was able to tackle them. According to her, the number of children immunised in her location declined by over 44% during the height of the pandemic. This decline was a drastic fall in numbers that necessitated a strategic change in community awareness efforts. The stark contrast in immunisation numbers before and after COVID-19 is representative of the general attitude of the population towards vaccination. From Pamela’s story, it is clear that there is a need for increased efforts at finding solutions to tackle routine immunisation challenges amid any arising socio-economic upheaval.

Pamela Anyango, a community health worker from Nairobi, Kenya

An account from Western Africa as told by Dr Essono Ngono Paulin, an EPI manager from Cameroon, shows similarities in the community perspective around immunisation during the COVID-19 epidemic. Addressing vaccine misconceptions at the grassroots level was highlighted by Dr Paulin as an effective method to encourage immunisation and combat fear in the community.

Dr Essono Ngono Paulin, an EPI manager from Cameroon

Mbezele Anastasie Estelle, a mother of a three-year-old son, further emphasises the EPI manager’s sentiments. Mbezele’s child missed out on his 6th-month vaccine primarily due to the mother’s fear of contracting COVID-19 from a hospital visit. Misconceptions about COVID-19 appear to be a powerful force in reducing immunisation numbers and in mothers actively avoiding visits to health centres. Therefore community outreach and awareness efforts should be amplified consistently in Africa to combat the prevailing misinformation.

Mbezele Anastasie Estelle, a mother of a three-year-old son in Cameroon

The right to healthcare access is a core aspect of the purpose of the International Day of the African Child. Taking the narratives mentioned earlier into account, the relevance of highlighting the decline in child immunisation on this day is clear. Further, the COVID-19 scourge has exposed significant gaps in the immunisation systems in Africa. Also, these stories, depicting the actual picture from the ground, should spur key players in immunisation to take action in encouraging innovation in awareness creation and implementation of pandemic preparedness protocols.

It is inconceivable that according to UNICEF, 23 million children missed out on immunisation vaccines due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please write to your local representative wherever you are in the world and tell us what they say!

Be outraged with us!!

#DAC2022 #Immunisation #Africa #Children

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: News

Contact Us

    Your Name (required)

    Your Email (required)

    Subject

    Your Message

    Please enter the letters below and press Send

    captcha

    Latest Blog Posts

    Welcome

    An astonishing decline in child immunisation numbers in Africa amid the rage of COVID-19, yet another victim of the pandemic

    Global Elite are Bored with Health, Just When It’s Getting Really Exciting

    Copyright © 2023 All rights reserved. Sitemap