In Africa, adherence to vaccination once morest COVID-19 increased by around 15% between January and February 2022, with several countries organizing mass vaccination campaigns, the World Health Organization announced on Friday. Health (WHO) in a press release.
About 62 million doses were administered on the continent in February 2022, compared to 54 million in January 2022. The increase was achieved mainly through vaccination campaigns in populous countries, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), l Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria, noted the WHO Regional Office for Africa.
“Vaccination campaigns have instilled positive momentum in the fight once morest the pandemic in Africa. The impact of COVID-19 on our lives diminishes each time one more person gets vaccinated,” said the Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, added: “This progress is welcome, but the pace of immunization on the continent still needs to increase ninefold if we are to reach our goal of vaccinating 70 % of population by June 2022.”
To date, the continent has fully vaccinated only 15% of the adult population. Of the 714 million doses received so far, 435 million (61%) have been administered, while only Mauritius and the Seychelles have exceeded 70% vaccination coverage, according to the WHO.
While Africa is doing all it can to build uptake of vaccination, the continent is seeing a steady decline in the number of new cases of COVID-19. The number of reported cases has fallen for nine consecutive weeks since the peak of the fourth wave in early January. The continent recorded a 10% decrease in the number of cases in the week ending March 13, compared to the previous week. The number of deaths fell by 37% during the same period.
“Although the continent is registering fewer and fewer cases, this does not signal the end of the pandemic. We must make the most of this opportunity to protect as many people as possible with the vaccine and leave no space for a possible resurgence of COVID-19,” said Dr. Moeti.
