A grandmother and her grandchildren protected against diseases

At the Mobikisi Health Center, Astride Mbeya holds one of her granddaughters in her arms, a broad smile lighting up her face. This image captures a moment of pride for this grandmother, as her granddaughter Ruth received her routine vaccinations that day.

At 56, Astride is the pillar of her family, ensuring that each of her five grandchildren grows up healthy. She makes sure they eat properly, receive all necessary vaccinations, and sleep under insecticide-treated mosquito nets.

Five months ago, Astride experienced a memorable day with her grandchildren. While accompanying them to a routine vaccination session, she received her COVID-19 vaccine. For her, it was more than just a medical act – it was an essential step to protect herself, her family, and her community.

"I am very happy to have been vaccinated against COVID-19 on the same day my grandchildren received their routine vaccines," Astride shares, her eyes sparkling with pride. "It's a good thing to combine routine vaccination with COVID-19 vaccination because it simplifies things for parents and protects the whole family."

Astride is one of 100,000 people vaccinated through the integration of COVID-19 vaccination into routine immunization programmes initiated in 2022 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

"There weren't many COVID-19 vaccination sites, and the community complained about having to travel long distances," recalls Eric Kasu, a community health worker attached to the Mobikisi Health Center where Astride was vaccinated.

With Canada's support, access to COVID-19 vaccines has been facilitated in more than 250 health zones across the DRC. "Parents are now more likely to get vaccinated against COVID-19 while having their children vaccinated," explains the community health worker.

Eric and his team regularly visit families in N’Sele to help improve the health of children and families. They also encourage parents to register the births of their children and send them to school. 

Community health workers has informed more than 3.5 million people in the DRC about the importance of routine vaccination and COVID-19 vaccination. Thanks to them, Astride and her family learned they could get vaccinated at the same time as their little ones.

"We will all be protected against the various epidemics that ravage the world," concludes Astride, determined to ensure the health of her entire family.

With generous support from Canada, UNICEF aims to increase equitable access to and use of COVID-19 vaccines, strengthen routine immunization, and improve water, sanitation, and hygiene practices. As entire families are protected, communities become more resilient to epidemics.