Pandemic-related resilience in HPV vaccination programmes - Perspectives from selected countries in Africa on what it will take to vaccinate 90 % of girls by 2030

Vaccine. 2024 Jul 11:42 Suppl 2:S33-S36. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.08.057. Epub 2024 Nov 7.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in widespread disruptions to primary health care and other sectors, halting the majority of routine immunisation services and particularly impacting newer, less routinized HPV vaccine programmes. We present a series of five country case studies, drawing directly from frontline experiences in Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, Liberia, Zambia, and Senegal to explore potential barriers and enablers of national HPV vaccine programme resiliency in the aftermath of a pandemic. A series of common themes emerged, articulating common challenges to maintaining HPV vaccine programmes, common factors that supported programme resilience, and common themes of resource needs to rebuild stronger routine immunisation programmes to face future threats.

Keywords: Africa; COVID-19; HPV vaccine programmes; Resilience.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Africa / epidemiology
  • COVID-19* / epidemiology
  • COVID-19* / prevention & control
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunization Programs*
  • Pandemics / prevention & control
  • Papillomavirus Infections* / prevention & control
  • Papillomavirus Vaccines* / administration & dosage
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Vaccination / psychology
  • Vaccination / statistics & numerical data

Substances

  • Papillomavirus Vaccines