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© 2025 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

Background: Since 1974, Essential Programme on Immunisation managers from ten Central African countries meet yearly with partners to review progress made and share experiences and lessons learned from the implementation of immunization programmes. The 2024 meeting occurred in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, in September 2024. This conference report summarizes the key takeaways from discussions on using immunization data for decision-making, the implementation of the Big Catch-Up (BCU) initiative to reduce the burden of zero-dose children, and progress and challenges in introducing selected new vaccines. Conference Takeaways: Inaccurate administrative data on routine immunization observed in most countries, compared to WHO/UNICEF Estimates of National Immunization Coverage and national survey estimates, affect timely decisions to improve the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) performance. Five countries in Central Africa are among the priority countries of the BCU initiative but, as of the end of August 2024, are yet to formally start its implementation. Cameroon and Central African Republic introduced the malaria vaccine in January 2024 and August 2024, respectively, while the Democratic Republic of Congo, Chad, and Burundi have planned to do so by 2025. Conclusions and Recommendations: Meeting participants put forward several recommendations for countries and immunization partners, including but not limited to (i) investing more in routine immunization data quality assurance to better use data to inform decisions, (ii) accelerating the implementation of the BCU initiative to close the immunity gap resulting from routine immunization disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, (iii) updating malaria vaccine introduction plans to invest more in demand generation and community engagement, and (iv) learning from Cameroon’s experience in tackling hesitancy to human papilloma virus vaccine. It is critical to set up an appropriate mechanism for monitoring the implementation of these recommendations.

Details

Title
The 2024 Annual Meeting of the Essential Programmes on Immunization Managers in Central Africa: A Peer Learning Platform
Author
Mboussou, Franck 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Mulumba, Audry 2 ; Celestin Traore 3 ; Conteh-Nordman, Florence 4 ; Ndoula, Shalom Tchokfe 5 ; Antoinette Demian Mbailamen 6 ; Bizimana, Jean Claude 7 ; Akani, Christian 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Vuo-Masembe, Yolande 1 ; Farham, Bridget 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Marcelin Menguo Nimpa 8   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Gaha, Thomas Noel 9 ; Morand, Martin 4 ; Rey, Lynda 4 ; Danovaro-Holliday, Maria Carolina 10   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Charles Shey Wiysonge 1 ; Impouma, Benido 1 

 World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville P.O. Box 06, Congo[email protected] (C.S.W.); 
 Essential Immunization Programme, Ministry of Health, 30 Avenue de la Justice, Kinshasa M7MG+2X8, Democratic Republic of the Congo 
 UNICEF Regional Office for West and Central Africa, Dakar P.O. Box 29720, Senegal 
 Gavi Secretariat, 1218 Le Grand-Saconnex, Switzerland[email protected] (L.R.) 
 Essential Immunization Programme, Ministry of Health, 8 Rue 3038 Quartier du Lac, Yaoundé P.O. Box 1937, Cameroon 
 Essential Immunization Programme, Ministry of Health, Ndjamena P.O. Box 548, Chad 
 Essential Immunization Programme, Ministry of Health, Rue Pierre Ngendandumwe, Bujumbura J968+H3J, Burundi 
 World Health Organization, Democratic Republic of Congo Country Office, 42 Avenue des Cliniques, Kinshasa 01206, Democratic Republic of the Congo 
 UNICEF, Democratic Republic of Congo Country Office, 372 Concession Immotex, Kinshasa M7H9+HQW, Democratic Republic of the Congo 
10  World Health Organization Headquarters, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland 
First page
301
Publication year
2025
Publication date
2025
Publisher
MDPI AG
e-ISSN
2076393X
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
3181822317
Copyright
© 2025 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.