African Vaccination Week (AVW)

The over-arching slogan of AVW is "Vaccinated communities, Healthy communities". Each year, a suitable theme is chosen to reflect current regional priorities and the public health realities. The first AVW was celebrated in April 2011 under the theme "Put mothers and children first - Vaccinate and stop polio now". That year, 40 countries in the Region organised activities to celebrate the event. In subsequent years, countries have continued to conduct vaccination campaigns, catch up vaccination activities, conduct health promotion activities, and provide other child survival interventions. The AVW website provides details each year on various country activities and communication strategies. It also includes access to campaign materials such as a toolkit in English, French, and Portuguese (click here to download it) that contains branded materials including immunisation backgrounders, posters, social media posts, and more to amplify existing activities and facilitate any communications for the week. Users are instructed to tailor and adapt materials to meet specific needs.

To explore the shape of one AVW in particular, in 2016 under the theme "Close the immunization gap. Stay polio free!", the kick-off occurred on April 24 2016, the same day as the kick-off of the World Immunization Week (WIW) and vaccination week in the other 5 WHO regions. The celebration of that year's AVW also coincided with the globally synchronised switch from trivalent oral polio vaccine (tOPV) to bivalent OPV (bOPV) occurring during the period from April 17 to May 1 2016. It also followed 2 important events that had taken place during the previous 6 months: Nigeria's removal from the list of polio-endemic countries in September 2015 (highlighting the need for countries to stay vigilant in the fight against polio) and the first ever Ministerial Conference on Immunization in Africa (MCIA) held in February 2016 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Regional launch was held in Ganta, Nimba County, Liberia on April 25 2016 during a colourful function chaired by the Deputy Minister of Health Services in the presence of high-level officials and community leaders. The event was combined with the celebration of World Malaria Day and the introduction of 2 new vaccines (rotavirus vaccine in the entire country and human papilloma vaccine (HPV) as a demonstration project) into the national immunisation schedule. The Ministry of Health with support from the Ministry of Education, UNICEF, and WHO conducted a national quiz on immunisation; information on immunisation was sent out to schools all over the country to equip students with knowledge prior to the quizzes that were held at district, regional, and national levels. The media were engaged to disseminate messages and information especially on polio, Hepatitis B vaccination, and the HPV vaccine. Increased advocacy for mothers to attend antenatal care and to deliver from health facilities was heightened. Mothers were also being tested for HIV to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV. The climax of the AVW was held in Mitooma district in May.

In 2016, Africa United, a campaign led by a coalition of African leaders and legendary footballers, joined immunisation partners to celebrate AVW through the "Every Shot Counts" initiative (see Related Summaries, below). WHO AFRO and Africa United adapted the striking visuals and leveraged a network of influencers of "Every Shot Counts" to promote existing education and advocacy efforts conducted by health partners across the continent. The campaign focused on the importance of addressing and meeting vaccination commitments at country and continental levels through multi-stakeholder partnerships. The message was that everyone has a role - including parents, health workers, religious leaders, government officials, and more - to increase access and availability of vaccinations in local communities. "Every Shot Counts" was committed to driving critical behaviour change information via social and traditional media as well as through partner outreach. Key behaviour change messages included, but were not limited to: "Visit your local health centre for routine immunisations and other important health services such as vitamin A supplements, deworming and mosquito nets" and "Keep vaccinations up to date, at all stages of life".

Immunisation and vaccines

In 2010, AVW was established and endorsed by all WHO Member States in the African Region. Country participation in AVW is flexible, and national goals and activities for AVW are chosen in accordance with national health objectives.

According to WHO, vaccination can save children's lives, and keep adults, communities and nations healthy. In many cases, immunisation provides lifelong protection against disease, enabling a productive workforce and boosting development through indirect economic benefits. Vaccination is one of the most cost-effective health interventions; for every US$1 invested in vaccination, there is an estimated US$16 return on investment. Disease eradication is possible with universal immunisation. Smallpox was the first disease to be eradicated, and polio is now being targeted for eradication. Thanks to sustained efforts around polio vaccination, circulation of wild poliovirus (WPV) in Africa has been interrupted. However, in 2014, only 18 African countries had achieved 90% coverage, and 1 in 5 children in Africa still do not receive all the necessary and basic vaccines. Immunisation clinics provide an opportunity to promote other high-impact interventions such as Vitamin A, deworming, and mosquito nets, which contribute to reducing morbidity and mortality from associated diseases such as malaria and malnutrition.