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© 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

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.

Details

Title
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic across Africa: Current Status of Vaccinations and Implications for the Future
Author
Ogunleye, Olayinka O 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Godman, Brian 2   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Fadare, Joseph O 3   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Steward Mudenda 4   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Adeoti, Adekunle O 5 ; Yinka-Ogunleye, Adesola F 6 ; Ogundele, Sunday O 1 ; Oyawole, Modupe R 7 ; Schönfeldt, Marione 8 ; Rashed, Wafaa M 9   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Galal, Ahmad M 10   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Masuka, Nyasha 11 ; Zaranyika, Trust 12 ; Kalungia, Aubrey C 13 ; Malande, Oliver O 14   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Kibuule, Dan 15   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Massele, Amos 16 ; Ibrahim Chikowe 17 ; Khuluza, Felix 17 ; Taruvinga, Tinotenda 18 ; Alfadl, Abubakr 19   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Malik, Elfatih 20   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Oluka, Margaret 21 ; Opanga, Sylvia 22 ; Ankrah, Daniel N A 23   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Sefah, Israel A 24   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Afriyie, Daniel 25   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Tagoe, Eunice T 26 ; Amu, Adefolarin A 27 ; Msibi, Mlungisi P 28 ; Etando, Ayukafangha 29   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Alabi, Mobolaji E 30 ; Okwen, Patrick 31   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Loveline Lum Niba 32 ; Mwita, Julius C 33 ; Rwegerera, Godfrey M 34   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Kgatlwane, Joyce 35 ; Jairoun, Ammar A 36   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Ejekam, Chioma 37 ; Mavenyengwa, Rooyen T 38 ; Murimi-Worstell, Irene 39 ; Campbell, Stephen M 40 ; Meyer, Johanna C 41 

 Department of Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology, Lagos State University College of Medicine, Lagos 100271, Nigeria; Department of Medicine, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Lagos 100271, Nigeria 
 Department of Pharmacoepidemiology, Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0RE, UK; Centre of Medical and Bio-Allied Health Sciences Research, Ajman University, Ajman 346, United Arab Emirates; Department of Public Health Pharmacy and Management, School of Pharmacy, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria 02084, South Africa 
 Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti 362103, Nigeria; Department of Medicine, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti 360211, Nigeria 
 Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Zambia, Lusaka P.O. Box 50110, Zambia; Department of Disease Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka P.O. Box 32379, Zambia 
 Department of Medicine, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti 360211, Nigeria 
 Nigerian Center for Disease Control, Plot 801, Ebitu Ukiwe Street, Jabi, Abuja 900108, Nigeria 
 Department of Pharmacy, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Lagos 100271, Nigeria 
 Child, Youth and School Health Directorate, National Department of Health, Pretoria 0083, South Africa 
 Children’s Cancer Hospital, Egypt-57357 (CCHE-57357), Cairo 11441, Egypt 
10  Biomedical Research Department, Armed Forces College of Medicine, Cairo 11774, Egypt 
11  CIMAS, Cimas House, Borrowdale Office Park, Borrowdale Road, Harare P.O. Box 1243, Zimbabwe 
12  Department of Medicine, University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences, Harare P.O. Box MP167, Zimbabwe 
13  Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Zambia, Lusaka P.O. Box 50110, Zambia 
14  Department of Public Health Pharmacy and Management, School of Pharmacy, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria 02084, South Africa; Department of Child Health and Paediatrics, Egerton University, Nakuru P.O.Box 536, Kenya; East Africa Centre for Vaccines and Immunization (ECAVI), Namela House, Naguru, Kampala P.O. Box 3040, Uganda 
15  Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Busitema University, Mbale P.O. Box 236, Uganda 
16  Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Hurbert Kairuki Memorial University, 70 Chwaku Road Mikocheni, Dar Es Salaam P.O. Box 65300, Tanzania 
17  Pharmacy Department, Formerly College of Medicine, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS), Blantyre P.O. Box 278, Malawi 
18  Department of Global Health and Development (GHD), London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London WC1E 7TH, UK 
19  National Medicines and Poisons Board, Federal Ministry of Health, Khartoum P.O. Box 303, Sudan; Department of Pharmacy Practice, Unaizah College of Pharmacy, Qassim University, Unaizah 51911, Saudi Arabia 
20  Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum 11111, Sudan 
21  Department of Pharmacology & Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, University of Nairobi, Nairobi P.O. Box 19676-00202, Kenya 
22  Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy, University of Nairobi, Nairobi P.O. Box 19676-00202, Kenya 
23  Department of Pharmacy, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra P.O. Box 77, Ghana 
24  Pharmacy Practice Department, School of Pharmacy, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Hohoe PMB 31, Ghana 
25  Pharmacy Department, Ghana Police Hospital, Accra P.O. Box CT104, Ghana 
26  Department of Management Science, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0QU, UK 
27  Pharmacy Department, Eswatini Medical Christian University, P.O. Box A624, Swazi Plaza, Mbabane H100, Eswatini 
28  Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Eswatini Medical Christian University, Swazi Plaza P.O. Box A624, Mbabane H100, Eswatini 
29  Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Eswatini Medical Christian University, Swazi Plaza P.O. Box A624, Mbabane H100, Eswatini 
30  School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Kwazulu-natal (UKZN), Durban 4001, South Africa 
31  Effective Basic Services (eBASE) Africa, Ndamukong Street, Bamenda 5175, Cameroon; Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Adelaide University, Adelaide 5005, Australia 
32  Effective Basic Services (eBASE) Africa, Ndamukong Street, Bamenda 5175, Cameroon; Department of Public Health, University of Bamenda, Bambili P.O. Box 39, Cameroon 
33  Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana, Gaborone P.O. Box 70480, Botswana 
34  Department of Medicine, Sir Ketumile Masire Teaching Hospital, Gaborone P.O. Box 70480, Botswana 
35  Department of Pharmacy, University of Botswana, Gaborone P.O. Box 70480, Botswana 
36  Health and Safety Department, Dubai Municipality, Dubai P.O. Box 67, United Arab Emirates; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang 11800, Malaysia 
37  Department of Community Health, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos PMB 21266, Nigeria 
38  Medical Microbiology Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare P.O. Box MP167, Zimbabwe 
39  School of Pharmacy, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Boston, MA 02115, USA 
40  Department of Public Health Pharmacy and Management, School of Pharmacy, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria 02084, South Africa; Centre for Epidemiology and Public Health, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK; NIHR Greater Manchester Patient Safety Translational Research Centre, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK 
41  Department of Public Health Pharmacy and Management, School of Pharmacy, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria 02084, South Africa 
First page
1553
Publication year
2022
Publication date
2022
Publisher
MDPI AG
e-ISSN
2076393X
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2716609377
Copyright
© 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.