African Vaccination Week as a catalyst for integrated services and immunisation equity: synthesis of implementation insights from countries in the WHO African Region.

INTRODUCTION

The African Vaccination Week (AVW) is a coordinated initiative designed to raise awareness, strengthen immunisation delivery and promote equity across the WHO African Region. In 2025, AVW coincided with the Immunisation Agenda 2030 midpoint, offering a strategic opportunity to accelerate progress towards reaching zero-dose and under-vaccinated populations.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional synthesis using aggregated secondary data from country implementation reports submitted to the WHO Regional Office for Africa and insights from postimplementation regional webinars. Data were analysed descriptively to summarise vaccination outputs, integrated service delivery and implementation innovations across countries.

RESULTS

25 countries reported implementing AVW 2025 activities. Approximately 11.5 million children were vaccinated, including 353 133 zero-dose children. Around 100 000 adults received vaccines, primarily tetanus-diphtheria and COVID-19 vaccines. Other interventions delivered along with vaccination included vitamin A supplementation and deworming for over 250 000 children. Several countries leveraged AVW 2025 to introduce vaccines, launch their national immunisation strategy and strengthen integration with primary healthcare services.

CONCLUSIONS

The AVW 2025 functioned as a regional implementation platform for highlighting immunisation priorities, reaching missed children and supporting integrated primary healthcare delivery across the WHO African Region.Country experiences indicate that AVW achieves the greatest impact when aligned with national programmes and embedded within routine planning processes. Variations in participation and reporting point to the need for stronger advance preparation, sustained engagement with all Member States and adaptable support tailored to country contexts. Positioning AVW as a feasible, low-opportunity-cost mechanism for advocacy, visibility and service delivery alignment can contribute meaningfully to broader immunisation and primary healthcare goals in the Region.