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Volume 27, Number 8—August 2021
Perspective

Considerations for Establishing Successful Coronavirus Disease Vaccination Programs in Africa

Victor WilliamsComments to Author , Bassey Edem, Marianne Calnan, Kennedy Otwombe, and Charles Okeahalam
Author affiliations: University of the Witwatersrand School of Public Health, Johannesburg, South Africa (V. Williams, K. Otwombe); Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia (B. Edem); University Research Co., LLC, Manila, the Philippines (M. Calnan); University of the Witwatersrand Perinatal HIV Research Unit, Johannesburg (K. Otwombe); University of the Witwatersrand Graduate School for Business Administration, Johannesburg (C. Okeahalam)

Main Article

Table 1

Key considerations for COVID-19 mass vaccination program development*

Category Key considerations
Vaccine characteristic
 Vaccine thermostability and requirement for cold chain system; route of administration; no. doses/person; COVID-19 testing capacity; adverse event surveillance
Financing
 Ability of low-and middle-income countries to pay for vaccines and deliver financing
Prioritizing beneficiaries
 Priority populations: healthcare workers, first responders, essential services personnel, elderly persons, persons with coexisting conditions, children; use of phased approach with timelines
Vaccination policy and logistics
 National policy to guide vaccination process and ensure availability of resources. Timelines for receiving and distributing vaccine from manufacturers after procurement
Communications
 Effective communication about benefits of the vaccine to increase acceptability, especially with phased approaches
Vaccine data management systems Track demographics of vaccinated persons, doses received, risk factors, and adverse events

*COVID-19, coronavirus disease.

Main Article

Page created: May 27, 2021
Page updated: July 18, 2021
Page reviewed: July 18, 2021
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
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