In the Haut-Uele province, digital tools pushed vaccination reporting to near 98% encoding efficiency, enabling real-time coordination that helped teams vaccinate over 581,000 children — surpassing the initial target of 574,000 despite stock ruptures and rainy-season access issues.
Meanwhile, in Kwilu, a dual measles-rubella and polio campaign aims to reach more than 3.2 million children aged 6 months to 14 years, with oral polio drops co-administered to over 1.3 million youngsters under five, as provincial leaders urge traditional and religious leaders to intensify mobilization.
National IMEP coordinator Ibrahima Koné expressed satisfaction with the integrated campaign launched April 19, crediting UNICEF’s global expertise in addressing vaccine hesitancy while urging Congolese authorities to sustain surveillance and ownership of eradication efforts.
He emphasized that stopping polio requires more than international partners, calling on state and non-state actors to ensure every child is vaccinated to build an effective barrier against human-to-human transmission.
In Haut-Uele, Dr. Vena Akafo noted that displaced populations from insecure zones expanded the vaccination target, yet logistical challenges — including eastern stock shortages and financial constraints — slowed progress, even as community sensitization kept refusal rates low.
The campaign’s success, he said, demonstrates how digital integration can transform public health management in difficult contexts, though strengthening supply chains and financing remains critical for equitable access.
Last year’s polio response in the DRC faced similar hurdles with access and trust, but this year’s coordinated use of data tools and localized engagement shows measurable improvement in reaching mobile populations.
How did digital tools improve vaccination efforts in Haut-Uele?
Digital tools enabled near real-time data collection and transmission, achieving 98% report encoding efficiency, which improved field activity coordination and health system integration during the April 16–18 campaign.
What challenges persisted despite high vaccination coverage in the provinces?
Logistical obstacles included vaccine stock ruptures in eastern zones, difficult access during the rainy season, and financial constraints, all of which slowed vaccination rhythms even as teams maintained high coverage through mobilization.
