Health experts, policymakers, and global health organizations are urging more decisive and coordinated efforts to prevent setbacks in the fight against vaccine-preventable diseases across the African Region. Despite progress in certain areas, millions of children remain vulnerable due to gaps in immunization coverage. This call comes at a time when global funding cuts to WHO, Gavi, UNICEF, and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, along with the recent signing of the Pandemic Treaty, pose significant risks to global health security and the goal of eradicating polio.
Routine immunization coverage across Africa still falls below the 90% threshold required to prevent outbreaks. Surveillance systems are also under strain, leaving millions at risk from vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, diphtheria, yellow fever, and polio. Each year, over 30 million children under the age of five in the region contract these diseases, resulting in more than 500,000 deaths and accounting for 58% of the global mortality burden from these illnesses.
“We are witnessing an alarming resurgence of outbreaks — from measles and diphtheria to yellow fever — which underscores the urgent need to reinforce routine childhood immunization and strengthen disease surveillance across the region,” said Professor Helen Rees, Chair of the Regional Immunization Technical Advisory Group (RITAG). “Weak surveillance systems delay detection and response, putting countless lives in danger. To maintain progress, countries must increase domestic investment and explore innovative financing options, especially as external funding continues to decline.”
RITAG convened in Brazzaville from 24 to 27 June to discuss strategies to bolster immunization across the life course. One of the key challenges highlighted was the growing inequity in vaccine access, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected areas. In response, WHO and its partners launched The Big Catch-Up in 2023 to help countries restore immunization services disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and reach the most vulnerable populations. This global effort focused on ensuring under-immunized children, particularly those in remote or marginalized communities, gained access to life-saving vaccines such as diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis, measles, and rubella — giving them a healthier start in life.
Hosted by WHO, RITAG serves as a platform to develop concrete actions and policy recommendations to drive investments, strengthen partnerships, and promote local vaccine production. These efforts align with the goals of the Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030), which aims to ensure equitable access to vaccines and improve health outcomes throughout the region.
“As we enter the second half of IA2030, our focus must shift from recovery to acceleration,” said Dr. Benido Impouma, Director of the Communicable and Noncommunicable Diseases Cluster at WHO AFRO. “Reaching populations who have been missed, expanding immunization efforts across all age groups, and building resilient, adaptable, and sustainably financed health systems must be central to our strategy.”
The RITAG meeting occurred against the backdrop of complex, evolving challenges — including overlapping crises, increasing demands, and limited resources. These pressures highlight the urgency for innovative, flexible, and adaptive approaches to ensure sustained immunization progress. WHO and its partners continue to advocate for more needs-based and flexible financing mechanisms to help countries maintain and scale up their efforts.
Over four days, RITAG members and representatives from ministries of health, WHO, Gavi, UNICEF, Africa CDC, the Gates Foundation, and other key partners reviewed the latest data, identified priority actions, and developed evidence-based recommendations. Discussions focused on strategies to reach zero-dose children, introduce new vaccines, enhance epidemic preparedness, and expand local vaccine manufacturing capacities.
Comprised of leading experts in public health, epidemiology, virology, health systems, and community engagement, RITAG has served as the principal advisory body to WHO’s African Region on vaccines and immunization since its establishment in 1993. The group provides independent, evidence-based guidance to inform policy, support implementation, and foster innovation throughout the vaccine life cycle, from research to delivery. Amid tightening financial constraints, the meeting emphasized the need to reinforce coordination, align technical and financial resources, and pursue practical solutions to accelerate progress at the country level. Key priorities include advancing equity, ensuring sustainability, and supporting the region’s path toward vaccine self-reliance. Participants unanimously agreed on the necessity of sustained collaboration, innovative financing strategies, and enhanced accountability to achieve shared immunization goals.
Source: World Health Organization (WHO)
