Scientific African (Jun 2024)
Vaccination and vaccine-preventable diseases in Africa
Abstract
Introduction: Efforts to reduce the global burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases can significantly benefit from comprehensive immunisation programmes. Organisations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), regional partners, and national governments are deeply committed to this cause. Given that Africa has the world's second-largest population, approximately 1.3 billion people, the continent's health challenges underscore the critical need for such immunisation strategies. However, the continent recorded the lowest vaccination rate, less than 30 %, during the recent coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, whereas global coverage was close to 70 %. The most commonly encountered vaccine-preventable diseases in Africa are chickenpox, diphtheria, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, human papillomavirus, measles, and mumps. Others include polio, pneumococcal diseases, tetanus, rubella, and Haemophilus influenzae type B. Objectives: To understand the general vaccination portfolio of the African continent, discuss awareness and concerns about the acceptability of vaccines in Africa, and analyse the effects of common vaccine-preventable diseases and vaccine communication. The overall objective was to evaluate vaccination and the status of vaccine-preventable diseases in Africa. Methodology: The authors relied on information from published academic resources and articles in PubMed, the National Center for Biotechnological Information, Google Scholar, the WHO, and the United States Centers for Disease Control databases, among others. Discussion: This review summarises the awareness and acceptability of vaccines in Africa, the level of understanding of vaccines, and offers solutions for how vaccines can reach every member of the African population. Conclusion: The most recent pandemic identified the need for national governments to increase investment in vaccine manufacturing. Hence, the new commitments of African leaders and relevant stakeholders to raise awareness of vaccine use, invest in vaccine manufacturing, training, and other strategies aimed at reducing vaccine-preventable diseases will make the African population healthier and wealthier.
