Africa UN Knowledge Hub for COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of vaccines in controlling infectious disease in sub-Saharan Africa and renewed interest in vaccine research.

Just 45.6% of Africans are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. And despite having the fastest-growing population, the African continent expects a healthcare worker shortage of 6.1 million people by 2030.

As Africa continues to respond to COVID-19, we are faced with many competing health priorities.

Africa needs to invest approximately $66 billion in its health systems and health infrastructure the minister said further announcing that financing to close infrastructure deficits amounting to between $137 billion and $177 billion by 2025.

“At 90 years old, I feel lucky to have taken my COVID-19 vaccine shot and feel more confident to live a couple more years…” recounts a community member in Sierra Leone

In Niger, 28% of adults are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. A 7th COVID-19 vaccination campaign, launched in mid-October, aims to vaccinate 2/3 of the over-18 population by year’s end.

First COVID-19, then a prolonged cholera outbreak – overlapping crises have stretched Malawi’s health workers to breaking point, as routine immunisation suffered. Recovery is now top of the agenda.

The unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on routine immunization services has driven up the number of zero-dose and under-immunized children.

“Sequential mass vaccination campaigns witnessed a consistent decline in the number of people accepting the vaccine, with about half of the target population yet to take their jab,” Adomako-Boateng says,

The impact of COVID-19 on mental health outcomes among adolescents remains understudied.