Vaccines (Sep 2022)
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic across Africa: Current Status of Vaccinations and Implications for the Future
- Olayinka O. Ogunleye,
- Brian Godman,
- Joseph O. Fadare,
- Steward Mudenda,
- Adekunle O. Adeoti,
- Adesola F. Yinka-Ogunleye,
- Sunday O. Ogundele,
- Modupe R. Oyawole,
- Marione Schönfeldt,
- Wafaa M. Rashed,
- Ahmad M. Galal,
- Nyasha Masuka,
- Trust Zaranyika,
- Aubrey C. Kalungia,
- Oliver O. Malande,
- Dan Kibuule,
- Amos Massele,
- Ibrahim Chikowe,
- Felix Khuluza,
- Tinotenda Taruvinga,
- Abubakr Alfadl,
- Elfatih Malik,
- Margaret Oluka,
- Sylvia Opanga,
- Daniel N. A. Ankrah,
- Israel A. Sefah,
- Daniel Afriyie,
- Eunice T. Tagoe,
- Adefolarin A. Amu,
- Mlungisi P. Msibi,
- Ayukafangha Etando,
- Mobolaji E. Alabi,
- Patrick Okwen,
- Loveline Lum Niba,
- Julius C. Mwita,
- Godfrey M. Rwegerera,
- Joyce Kgatlwane,
- Ammar A. Jairoun,
- Chioma Ejekam,
- Rooyen T. Mavenyengwa,
- Irene Murimi-Worstell,
- Stephen M. Campbell,
- Johanna C. Meyer
Affiliations
- Olayinka O. Ogunleye
- Department of Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology, Lagos State University College of Medicine, Lagos 100271, Nigeria
- Brian Godman
- Department of Pharmacoepidemiology, Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0RE, UK
- Joseph O. Fadare
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti 362103, Nigeria
- Steward Mudenda
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Zambia, Lusaka P.O. Box 50110, Zambia
- Adekunle O. Adeoti
- Department of Medicine, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti 360211, Nigeria
- Adesola F. Yinka-Ogunleye
- Nigerian Center for Disease Control, Plot 801, Ebitu Ukiwe Street, Jabi, Abuja 900108, Nigeria
- Sunday O. Ogundele
- Department of Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology, Lagos State University College of Medicine, Lagos 100271, Nigeria
- Modupe R. Oyawole
- Department of Pharmacy, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Lagos 100271, Nigeria
- Marione Schönfeldt
- Child, Youth and School Health Directorate, National Department of Health, Pretoria 0083, South Africa
- Wafaa M. Rashed
- Children’s Cancer Hospital, Egypt-57357 (CCHE-57357), Cairo 11441, Egypt
- Ahmad M. Galal
- Biomedical Research Department, Armed Forces College of Medicine, Cairo 11774, Egypt
- Nyasha Masuka
- CIMAS, Cimas House, Borrowdale Office Park, Borrowdale Road, Harare P.O. Box 1243, Zimbabwe
- Trust Zaranyika
- Department of Medicine, University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences, Harare P.O. Box MP167, Zimbabwe
- Aubrey C. Kalungia
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Zambia, Lusaka P.O. Box 50110, Zambia
- Oliver O. Malande
- Department of Public Health Pharmacy and Management, School of Pharmacy, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria 02084, South Africa
- Dan Kibuule
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Busitema University, Mbale P.O. Box 236, Uganda
- Amos Massele
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Hurbert Kairuki Memorial University, 70 Chwaku Road Mikocheni, Dar Es Salaam P.O. Box 65300, Tanzania
- Ibrahim Chikowe
- Pharmacy Department, Formerly College of Medicine, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS), Blantyre P.O. Box 278, Malawi
- Felix Khuluza
- Pharmacy Department, Formerly College of Medicine, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS), Blantyre P.O. Box 278, Malawi
- Tinotenda Taruvinga
- Department of Global Health and Development (GHD), London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London WC1E 7TH, UK
- Abubakr Alfadl
- National Medicines and Poisons Board, Federal Ministry of Health, Khartoum P.O. Box 303, Sudan
- Elfatih Malik
- Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum 11111, Sudan
- Margaret Oluka
- Department of Pharmacology & Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, University of Nairobi, Nairobi P.O. Box 19676-00202, Kenya
- Sylvia Opanga
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy, University of Nairobi, Nairobi P.O. Box 19676-00202, Kenya
- Daniel N. A. Ankrah
- Department of Pharmacy, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra P.O. Box 77, Ghana
- Israel A. Sefah
- Pharmacy Practice Department, School of Pharmacy, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Hohoe PMB 31, Ghana
- Daniel Afriyie
- Pharmacy Department, Ghana Police Hospital, Accra P.O. Box CT104, Ghana
- Eunice T. Tagoe
- Department of Management Science, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0QU, UK
- Adefolarin A. Amu
- Pharmacy Department, Eswatini Medical Christian University, P.O. Box A624, Swazi Plaza, Mbabane H100, Eswatini
- Mlungisi P. Msibi
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Eswatini Medical Christian University, Swazi Plaza P.O. Box A624, Mbabane H100, Eswatini
- Ayukafangha Etando
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Eswatini Medical Christian University, Swazi Plaza P.O. Box A624, Mbabane H100, Eswatini
- Mobolaji E. Alabi
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Kwazulu-natal (UKZN), Durban 4001, South Africa
- Patrick Okwen
- Effective Basic Services (eBASE) Africa, Ndamukong Street, Bamenda 5175, Cameroon
- Loveline Lum Niba
- Effective Basic Services (eBASE) Africa, Ndamukong Street, Bamenda 5175, Cameroon
- Julius C. Mwita
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana, Gaborone P.O. Box 70480, Botswana
- Godfrey M. Rwegerera
- Department of Medicine, Sir Ketumile Masire Teaching Hospital, Gaborone P.O. Box 70480, Botswana
- Joyce Kgatlwane
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Botswana, Gaborone P.O. Box 70480, Botswana
- Ammar A. Jairoun
- Health and Safety Department, Dubai Municipality, Dubai P.O. Box 67, United Arab Emirates
- Chioma Ejekam
- Department of Community Health, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos PMB 21266, Nigeria
- Rooyen T. Mavenyengwa
- Medical Microbiology Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare P.O. Box MP167, Zimbabwe
- Irene Murimi-Worstell
- School of Pharmacy, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Stephen M. Campbell
- Department of Public Health Pharmacy and Management, School of Pharmacy, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria 02084, South Africa
- Johanna C. Meyer
- Department of Public Health Pharmacy and Management, School of Pharmacy, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria 02084, South Africa
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10091553
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 10,
no. 9
p. 1553
Abstract
The introduction of effective vaccines in December 2020 marked a significant step forward in the global response to COVID-19. Given concerns with access, acceptability, and hesitancy across Africa, there is a need to describe the current status of vaccine uptake in the continent. An exploratory study was undertaken to investigate these aspects, current challenges, and lessons learnt across Africa to provide future direction. Senior personnel across 14 African countries completed a self-administered questionnaire, with a descriptive analysis of the data. Vaccine roll-out commenced in March 2021 in most countries. COVID-19 vaccination coverage varied from low in Cameroon and Tanzania and up to 39.85% full coverage in Botswana at the end of 2021; that is, all doses advocated by initial protocols versus the total population, with rates increasing to 58.4% in Botswana by the end of June 2022. The greatest increase in people being fully vaccinated was observed in Uganda (20.4% increase), Botswana (18.5% increase), and Zambia (17.9% increase). Most vaccines were obtained through WHO-COVAX agreements. Initially, vaccination was prioritised for healthcare workers (HCWs), the elderly, adults with co-morbidities, and other at-risk groups, with countries now commencing vaccination among children and administering booster doses. Challenges included irregular supply and considerable hesitancy arising from misinformation fuelled by social media activities. Overall, there was fair to reasonable access to vaccination across countries, enhanced by government initiatives. Vaccine hesitancy must be addressed with context-specific interventions, including proactive programmes among HCWs, medical journalists, and the public.
Keywords
