• One of the routine essential health services that is being disrupted by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Africa is childhood immunization. • Experiences from previous outbreaks on the continent indicate that any disruption of immunization services could result in epidemics of childhood vaccine-preventable diseases, which will invariably increase child mortality. • Contextualized strategies are needed to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on access to and utilization of immunization services. • Systems thinking could advance the understanding of the interaction between COVID-19 and immunization by explicitly elucidating the non-linear and dynamic relationships that exist between all elements of the system. • Implementation science models could be used to fast-track the use of evidence-based innovations to re-design local systems, such that they enhance access and utilization of immunization services despite the COVID-19 outbreak.

Background: Vaccination remains the most effective means of reducing the burden of infectious disease among children. It is estimated to prevent between two to three million child deaths annually. However, despite being a successful intervention, basic vaccination coverage remains below the target. About 20 million infants are either under or not fully vaccinated, most of whom are in Sub-Saharan Africa region. In Kenya, the coverage is even lower at 83% than the global average of 86%. The objective of this study is to explore the factors that contribute to low demand or vaccine hesitancy for childhood and adolescent vaccines in Kenya. Methods: The study used qualitative research design. Key Informant Interviews (KII) was used to obtain information from national and county-level key stakeholders. In-depth Interviews (IDI) was done to collect opinions of caregivers of children 0–23 months and adolescent girls eligible for immunization, and Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine respectively. The data was collected at the national level and counties such as Kilifi, Turkana, Nairobi and Kitui. The data was analyzed using thematic content approach. A total of 41 national and county-level immunization officials and caregivers formed the sample. Results: Insufficient knowledge about vaccines, vaccine supply issues, frequent healthcare worker’s industrial action, poverty, religious beliefs, inadequate vaccination campaigns, distance to vaccination centers, were identified as factors driving low demand or vaccine hesitancy against routine childhood immunization. While factors driving low uptake of the newly introduced HPV vaccine were reported to include misinformation about the vaccine, rumors that the vaccine is a form of female contraception, the suspicion that the vaccine is free and available only to girls, poor knowledge of cervical cancer and benefits of HPV vaccine. Conclusions: Rural community sensitization on both routine childhood immunization and HPV vaccine should be key activities post COVID-19 pandemic. Likewise, the use of mainstream and social media outreaches, and vaccine champions could help reduce vaccine hesitancy. The findings are invaluable for informing design of context-specific interventions by national and county-level immunization stakeholders. Further studies on the relationship between attitude towards new vaccines and connection to vaccine hesitancy is necessary.

There is an urgent need to examine the magnitude and factors responsible for missed opportunities for vaccination, to rapidly achieve national immunization targets. The objective of the study was to examine the influence of individual, neighbourhood and country level socioeconomic position on missed opportunities for vaccination (MOV) in Sub-Saharan Africa. We used multilevel logistic regression analysis on Demographic and Health Survey data collected between 2007 and 2016 in sub-Saharan Africa. We analysed data on 43,637 children aged 12 to 23 months (Level 1) nested within 15,122 neighbourhoods (Level 2) from 35 countries (Level 3). After adjustment for individual-, neighbourhood- and country-level factors, the following appeared as significant risk factors for increased odds of MOV: high birth order, high number of under-five children in the house, poorest household, lack of maternal education, lack of media access, and living in poorer neighbourhood. According to the intra-country and intra-neighbourhood correlation coefficient, 18.4% and 37.4% of the variance in odds of MOV could be attributed to the country and neighbourhood level factors, respectively; and if a child moved to another country or neighbourhood with a higher probability of MOV, the median increase in their odds of MOV would be 2.47 and 2.56 fold respectively. This study has revealed that the risk of missed opportunities for vaccination in sub-Saharan Africa is influenced by not only individual factors but also by compositional factors such as family’s financial capacity, place of birth and upbringing.

Understanding the gaps in missed opportunities for vaccination (MOV) in sub-Saharan Africa would inform interventions for improving immunisation coverage to achieving universal childhood immunisation. We aimed to conduct a multicountry analyses to decompose the gap in MOV between poor and non-poor in SSA. We used cross-sectional data from 35 Demographic and Health Surveys in SSA conducted between 2007 and 2016. Descriptive statistics used to understand the gap in MOV between the urban poor and non-poor, and across the selected covariates. Out of the 35 countries included in this analysis, 19 countries showed pro-poor inequality, 5 showed pro-non-poor inequality and remaining 11 countries showed no statistically significant inequality. Among the countries with statistically significant pro-illiterate inequality, the risk difference ranged from 4.2% in DR Congo to 20.1% in Kenya. Important factors responsible for the inequality varied across countries. In Madagascar, the largest contributors to inequality in MOV were media access, number of under-five children, and maternal education. However, in Liberia media access narrowed inequality in MOV between poor and non-poor households. The findings indicate that in most SSA countries, children belonging to poor households are most likely to have MOV and that socio-economic inequality in is determined not only by health system functions, but also by factors beyond the scope of health authorities and care delivery system. The findings suggest the need for addressing social determinants of health.

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of missed opportunities for vaccination (MOV) among children aged 0–23 months attending health-care facilities in Africa and explore the factors responsible for MOV using systems thinking. Research design and methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies reporting the proportion MOVs. Five electronic databases were searched. A random effects model was fitted to obtain pooled estimates of MOV and a causal loop diagram (CLD) was constructed to explore the dynamics of the causes of MOV. MOV was defined as any contact with health services in Africa, by an unvaccinated or under-vaccinated child, aged 0–23 months, who is eligible for vaccination and free of any contraindication, which does not result in vaccination. Results: Four hundred and twenty-one publications were found, of which 20 studies from 14 countries were included. The pooled prevalence of MOV was estimated to be 27.26% (95%CI: 18.80–36.62). A CLD with seven reinforcing and two balancing loops were constructed. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that about one in every four children under the age of two years who visited health facilities in 14 African countries missed the vaccination they were eligible to receive. To enable continent-wide estimates, more MOV assessments are required.

There is a dearth of literature on vaccine hesitancy in Africa. In this study, we aimed to explore the drivers of hesitancy toward recommended childhood vaccines in Kenya, Malawi, and Ethiopia.A sc...