Foreign
THE latest WUENIC estimates of national immunization coverage have revealed that Chad registered sustained improvement in routine childhood immunization in 2021. The country’s progress in childhood vaccination is remarkable at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted essential health services, including routine immunization, around the world.
The percentage of children in Chad who received three doses of the vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, DTP3, – a key proxy to measure for immunization coverage, and the reach of health systems, within and across countries – rose to 58% in 2021 from 50 % in 2019. Chad also improved first dose measles vaccine coverage to 55% in 2021 from 41% in 2019.
An analysis by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, Gavi, which supports vaccination showed that working together with a public health partner, Chad has in recent years employed strategies such as rolling out tailored engagement, campaigns and outreach in 52 low coverage districts, targeting so called “zero-dose children”.
These are children who miss out on even a single dose of vaccine, meaning that reaching them – and the missed communities they live in – improves the ability of the health system to protect its population.
Chad’s progress is an example of how countries can maintain, restore and expand routine immunization, while remaining committed to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. With support from Gavi and COVAX, the country has also rolled out COVID-19 vaccines to more than 2 million people (over 22% of the adult and adolescent population).
Following a global rollout of historic scale – with more than 4 billion COVID-19 vaccines rolled out by lower-income countries – Gavi and partners will be focused on supporting countries’ efforts to integrate COVID-19 into routine immunization programmes, leveraging opportunities to increase uptake, demand and delivery of life saving vaccines.
Amy LaTrielle, the Director of Fragile and Conflict Countries at Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance comments on Chad’s progress:
“Chad has registered impressive progress in expanding childhood vaccinations at a time when essential health services, including routine immunization, have been disrupted by COVID-19 pandemic.
This progress underscores the persistence of the government, health workers and others partners who have pushed forward and improved the reach of immunization programmes while continuing to ensure COVID-19 remains a priority.
We as a Vaccine Alliance will continue to work with Chad and other countries to ensure the greatest number of people can access the life-saving protection of vaccines,”
Facts and Figures:
DTP1 – the first dose of the DTP vaccine – is a key measure of how many children receive that first, critical dose of a vaccine. Through concerted efforts to reach ZDC, Chad improved DTP1 coverage from 69% to 73%.
- Chad has received about 8.2 million COVID-19 vaccine doses from COVAX (as of 20th July), representing 97% of the supply to the country.
KN
Tags: Amy LaTrielle childhood immunisation Covid-19 GAVI WUENIC
