- African children in poor remote zones continue to die from measles, diphtheria, tetanus, polio, and whooping cough vaccination due to poor infrastructure.
- Additionally, poor funding structures, wars and insecurity, and low literacy levels on the benefits of vaccines continue to hurt efforts to eliminate these diseases.
- Latest data shows only 16 countries in Africa reported over 90% coverage of diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis, and measles.
Over 500,000 African children continue to lose their lives diseases that have virtually been eradicated in other parts of the world through vaccination programmes. Recent data from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) shows that measles, diphtheria, tetanus, polio, and whooping cough claims the lives of half a million people across the continent because economies still grapple with poor infrastructure, making it near impossible to reach far flung communities.
Additionally, poor funding structures, wars and insecurity, coupled with low literacy levels ion the benefits of vaccines in human health continue to hurt efforts to eliminate these diseases from the continent.
According to Africa CDC, only 16 countries in Africa reported over 90 per cent coverage of essential vaccines targeting infants such as diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP3), and the first dose of the measles-containing vaccine MCV1.
This is a worrying picture on the status of health across the 52 countries that make up the continent of 1.2 billion people at a time when foreign aid, which has been a critical plank of healthcare financing, is on the verge of collapse.
Millions of African children left vulnerable
Africa CDC says without vaccination at an early age, millions of children are left vulnerable to a myriad of diseases. “A vial of measles vaccine, for instance, costs only USD 2.85. Yet since 2018, 28 African countries have experienced large, disruptive measles outbreaks,” the health agency stated in an update in April, 2025.
It added that the number of “zero-dose” children, that is, those who have received no vaccines at all in Africa—increased to 7.9 million in 2023, reflecting a 16 per cent jump compared to 2019.
At the same time, countries such as the continent’s biggest economy Nigeria, war-ravaged Democratic Republic of Congo, and her neighbour, South Sudan, continue to report high mortality rates from vaccine-preventable diseases due to inconsistent coverage.
Additionally, reports of fresh preventable disease outbreaks in Somalia, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, and ongoing cases of diphtheria and pertussis in Chad and Nigeria continue to highlight the scale of healthcare challenges facing policymakers in the world.
Official statistics show that vaccine-preventable diseases cost countries in Africa about $13 billion every year, placing additional strain on overstretched health systems while slamming the breaks on economic progress. “Yet immunisation remains one of the most cost-effective health investments, with a return on investment of up to 37 times the cost,” notes Africa CDC.
Africa CDC champions equitable immunisation system in Africa
At the moment, Africa CDC is working closely with partners such as the African Union Commission (AUC), WHO, UNICEF, GAVI, PATH to advance the Continental Immunisation Strategy. This initiative, which is guided by the Addis Declaration on Immunisation and aligned with the Immunisation Agenda 2030, is aimed at developing a unified, resilient, and equitable immunisation system across the continent.
“Africa currently produces less than 1 per cent of the vaccines it uses. This is a challenge we are committed to changing,” said Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC. “Our goal is to manufacture 60 per cent of vaccines used in Africa locally by 2040.” Last year, Africa saw up to 25 vaccine manufacturing projects get underway, with eight antigens expected to be WHO prequalified and market-ready by 2030.
Furthermore, the health agency has been championing the establishment of stronger cold chain systems, while also urging economies to train more health workers to meet rising needs.
What’s more, Africa CDC is also worying with partners to improve data and pharmacovigilance across the continent even as it ramps up plans to mobilise vaccines for emergencies such as COVID-19 and mpox. It is also leading efforts to boost domestic resource mobilisation and develop innovative financing approaches to close persistent immunisation gaps.
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