Low coverage of COVID-19 vaccines in Africa: current evidence and the way forward

• Main Authors: Lukman Lawal (Author), Munira Aminu Bello (Author), Tonderai Murwira (Author), Clement Avoka (Author), Shamsuddeen Yusuf Ma'aruf (Author), Imoetin Harrison Omonhinmin (Author), Pamela Maluleke (Author), Christos Tsagkaris (Author), Helen Onyeaka (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group, 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 2164-5515; 2164-554X; 10.1080/21645515.2022.2034457
• Keywords: covid-19 pandemic; covid-19 vaccination; vaccine hesitancy; covid-19 vaccine inequity; sars-cov-2; disparities; low coverage of vaccine; africa; lmic; developing countries; Immunologic diseases. Allergy; RC581-607; Therapeutics. Pharmacology; RM1-950
• Source: Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics, Vol 18, Iss 1 (2022)

Disparities in COVID-19 vaccine coverage across the globe have uncovered inequities in global healthcare. While more than half of the population of the developed countries have been fully vaccinated, only a small percentage of the African population has received one vaccine dose so far, a far cry from the global vaccination targets. Furthermore, several low and middle income (LMICs) African countries lack the competence, infrastructure, logistics, and financial resources to mass-vaccinate their populations. This paper highlights the causes and implications of the low COVID-19 vaccine coverage on Africa and the global community, and discusses strategies for restructuring and strengthening COVID-19 vaccination in Africa.