African Vaccination Week 2026: WHO Urges Renewed Commitment as Immunization Saves 1.8 Million Lives Annually

“Every year, vaccines prevent around 1.8 million deaths in Africa. A saved life is more than a number. It is families kept whole. Clinics free to care instead of battling outbreaks. Communities able to work, farm and trade without disruption.” Prof. Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa.

Vaccines continue to stand as one of Africa’s most powerful public health tools, preventing an estimated 1.8 million deaths each year, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa has said.

Delivering a message to mark African Vaccination Week 2026, observed from April 24 to 30 under the theme “For Every Generation, Vaccines Work,” the Regional Director underscored the far-reaching impact of immunization across the continent.

“Every year, vaccines prevent around 1.8 million deaths in Africa. A saved life is more than a number. It is families kept whole. Clinics free to care instead of battling outbreaks. Communities able to work, farm and trade without disruption,” the statement read.

The WHO highlighted that immunization remains a lifelong investment, protecting individuals from infancy through adulthood. Since 2000, about 500 million African children have benefited from routine vaccination programmes. However, the protection extends beyond childhood, with HPV vaccines safeguarding adolescent girls against cervical cancer, maternal vaccines protecting mothers and newborns, and booster doses maintaining immunity later in life.

“Immunization is a lifelong investment in health,” the Regional Director emphasized.

The message also pointed to significant gains across the continent driven by innovation and collaboration. Digital health records are improving vaccine tracking, solar-powered refrigeration is ensuring safe storage in remote areas, and community partnerships are expanding outreach.

In a major milestone, Cabo Verde, Mauritius, and Seychelles were confirmed in December 2025 to have eliminated measles and rubella—the first countries in the WHO African Region to achieve this feat. Meanwhile, malaria vaccines are being rolled out in 25 countries, marking a breakthrough in tackling one of Africa’s most persistent health threats.

Efforts to close immunization gaps are also yielding results. Through the Big Catch-Up initiative, nearly 8.75 million children who previously missed routine vaccines have been reached, while coverage for diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough has rebounded to pre-pandemic levels.

Progress in polio eradication has also been substantial. “Since 1988, polio vaccination efforts have averted an estimated 1.57 million deaths and prevented paralysis in more than 20 million people,” the statement noted. In high-risk regions such as the Lake Chad Basin and the Horn of Africa, nearly 200 million children were vaccinated last year alone.

Despite these gains, WHO warned that challenges remain significant. Around 6.7 million children in Africa have not received a single routine vaccine, while an additional 9.5 million are under-immunized—many in conflict-affected, impoverished or hard-to-reach areas.

“Continued measles outbreaks, the risk of vaccine-derived poliovirus transmission and recent diphtheria cases remind us that progress can quickly be reversed,” the Regional Director cautioned.

At the midpoint of the Immunization Agenda 2030, WHO called for renewed commitment and stronger domestic investment in immunization programmes, particularly as external funding becomes less predictable.

“Africa must deepen domestic resource mobilization and strengthen national ownership. Immunization is not a stand-alone programme. It is a pillar of primary health care and a foundation of universal health coverage,” the statement said.

The economic case for vaccines was also highlighted, with every dollar invested in childhood immunization in Africa yielding an estimated $44 in returns through reduced healthcare costs, improved productivity, and stronger, more resilient societies.

WHO further noted the release of a new report, developed in collaboration with Gavi, reviewing two decades of immunization progress in the region and setting a baseline for accelerated action toward 2030 targets.

Concluding the message, the Regional Director issued a call to action: “On the occasion of African Vaccination Week 2026, I call on Member States, partners, communities and all stakeholders to work together so the benefits of immunization reach every person, at every stage of life.”