The country is located in the African yellow fever belt, which exposes it to the risk of deadly epidemics. More than four million people are targeted in 11 departments of Congo.
This country bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has set itself the goal of achieving coverage of more than 95% at the national level. The campaign is supported by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (OMS).
“Yellow fever, endemic across West and Central Africa, kills nearly 60,000 Africans every year who could be saved by this highly effective vaccine,” said Thabani Maphosa, Gavi’s Country Programs Managing Director.
More than 13,800 health professionals are mobilized by the Congolese government for this seven-day campaign. Pointe Noire is the only department not participating in this mass campaign, as it has already benefited from a reactive campaign, with 93% coverage.
Yellow fever vaccination coverage increased from 54% in 2005 to 80% in 2015
“With the help of its partners, the government of Congo will do everything possible to achieve the objectives of the campaign and curb the epidemics currently raging in the country,” said Dr. Edouard Ndinga, head of the Vaccination and Preventable Diseases group. by vaccination (MEV) of the WHO office in the Congo.
This mass prevention campaign in Congo is part of the global strategy to eliminate yellow fever epidemics by 2026. UN agencies and more than 50 partners are helping the government of Congo and 39 other high-risk countries assess epidemic risk, launch vaccination campaigns, mobilize with communities and carry out other response activities, including surveillance, supply and logistics, as well as laboratory diagnostic work.
“This campaign will be integrated into another vaccination campaign, against measles and rubella, carried out by the government of Congo and benefiting from the support of the world Bankin response to the current measles epidemic,” said Dr. Chantal Umutoni, UNICEF Representative in Congo.
Yellow fever vaccination coverage has increased in the country since 2004, when the vaccine was introduced into the routine immunization schedule: it rose from 54% in 2005 to 80% in 2015. However, the risk of an epidemic remains high and can only be reduced if the majority of the population is vaccinated.
The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on vaccination coverage
According to the latest WHO/UNICEF vaccination coverage estimates for the Republic of Congo, the percentage of children who received all three doses of the vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP3) increased from 73% in 2020 to 77 % in 2021. At the same time, coverage with the first dose of measles vaccine is stagnating at 68%.
In addition, yellow fever vaccination coverage has continuously declined by 2% over the past two years (2019-2021) during which the country has had to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.
Yellow fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes, potentially fatal, but against which there is an extremely effective vaccine. The deadly epidemics of yellow fever that have occurred in recent years in Congo (and in neighboring countries, Angola and the DRC) pose a threat to the country, which is now on high alert for the possibility of an outbreak. a new epidemic.