Immunization
Immunization is one of the most cost-effective public health interventions. Together with our partners, we're providing lifesaving vaccines for children across The Gambia
The challenge
By protecting children against serious diseases, vaccines play a key role in reducing infant and child mortality. Immunization is one of the most cost-effective public health interventions, averting an estimated 4.4 million deaths yearly. Vaccines work, indeed!
Maintaining high immunization coverage and improving quality and equitable access to vaccination services to ensure all children in all communities are reached with all their basic vaccination, is the cornerstone of our support to The Gambia Government. Despite low coverage among poor or marginalized groups which threatens to compromise gains made in expanding coverage and creates an opportunity for potential disease outbreaks, we continue to be committed to reaching every child in every community with the required vaccines.
Protected from the threat of vaccine-preventable diseases, immunized children have the opportunity to thrive and a better chance of realizing their full potential.
The solution
Through the support of key partners, UNICEF strengthens the country’s immunization programme by procuring key Cold Chain Equipment, including cold boxes, vaccine fridges, and a walk-in Cold Room, for health facilities across the country. This bolstered the nation's healthcare infrastructure and increased the storage capacity for vaccines at service delivery points serving an estimated 58% of the population. The programme’s mobility needs were supported through the provision of vehicles and motorbikes, which were used to facilitate better movement of vaccinators and supervision teams, the timely delivery of COVID-19 vaccines, and other routine immunization services, especially in rural and remote areas where access to healthcare services is challenging.
As part of our work, we also advocate for and support the strengthening of community structures to increase the engagement and participation of local actors for demand generation of health services, including immunization. We support the training of health workers that are providing immunization services, equipping them with the right skills and tools to deliver quality immunization services; we mobilize funding and provide the technical assistance needed to strengthen the management of the national immunization programme, as part of our support to health systems strengthening in The Gambia.