A collection of campaign stories captured and curated by Linksbridge SPC
Featured Stories
India held its Polio National Immunisation Day event from January 31-February 2—administering oral polio drops to over 91 million children under age 5, and reaching over 19 million more children in a house-to-house mop-up round the following week. The drive was conducted alongside a Covid-19 mass vaccination campaign that targeted over 4.1 million healthcare workers and other priority groups. WHO
After a postponement in 2020 due to Covid-19, Guyana launched its final mass drug administration (MDA) event against lymphatic filariasis in February, aiming to be declared disease-free if the program is successful. The country administered the first dose of the medication in 2017, and will distribute the second dose of ivermectin, diethylcarbamazine, and albendazole (IDA) therapy in regions three and four from February 14-28, followed in March by regions six and ten, followed by other regions. Guyana Department of Public Health Information; Guyana Chronicle
Outbreak Response
As of February 21, the Philippines has vaccinated 73% of its target population against measles, rubella, and polio as part of phase 2 of its integrated supplementary immunization activity drive. The campaign ran from February 1-28 in the Visayas and Regions III, IV-A, and the National Capital Region. Philippines Department of Health; Philippines Department of Health
Guinea began an Ebola vaccination campaign on February 23—nine days after an outbreak was declared in the country—and will receive 20,000 vaccine doses for an initial phase of immunization targeting health workers and people who have come in contact with a confirmed case. WHO
Following an outbreak declaration on February 7, the Democratic Republic of the Congo launched an Ebola vaccination campaign on February 15 in North Kivu Province. The campaign initially targeted health workers with 1,200 vaccine doses. WHO; ECDC; CGTN
Following a polio outbreak in Monrovia, Liberia declared a national health emergency on February 4 and will soon launch two rounds of house-to-house polio vaccination campaigns, planning to distribute novel OPV2 to at least 95% of children under age 5 across the country. Liberia Ministry of Health; Liberia Ministry of Health
Local Campaigns
In a continued effort to introduce typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) into routine immunization, Pakistan ran an anti-typhoid catch-up campaign February 1-15, reaching nearly 13 million children age 9 months to 15 years with TCV in Islamabad and 12 districts of Punjab province. The remaining districts of Punjab will receive the vaccine in the spring. Coalition Against Typhoid
Delayed from December 2020, the second round of South Sudan’s nationwide anti-polio immunization drive launched on February 16, targeting 2.8 million children under age 5. WHO
Yemen ran two cholera vaccination campaigns in February—reaching over 190,000 people in two governorates with second doses of the oral vaccine. The first campaign launched on February 7, with a target of 254,000 people in Al Dhalea, and the second started on February 17, aiming to reach 39,000 people in Hadramaut. UNICEF; UNICEF; WHO
Cuba ran the first phase of a polio vaccination campaign February 22-27, targeting over 330,000 children under age 3 for first doses of bivalent OPV and over 124,000 children age 9 for second doses. The second phase of the campaign will run from March 1-9. Prensa Latina
South Sudan conducted the second round of a preventative oral cholera vaccination campaign in G. Pibor administrative area beginning February 15, aiming to reach over 93,000 people 1 year and older. WHO
Postponed from 2020 due to Covid-19, Botswana’s measles-rubella vaccination campaign ran from February 1-12, targeting children age 9 months-59 months. WHO; Botswana Daily News
Cabo Verde launched a hepatitis B vaccination campaign on February 8, targeting health workers across the country. WHO
India launched its biannual National Deworming Day drive on February 10, providing albendazole tablets door-to-door to children and adolescents ages 1-19 to prevent soil-transmitted helminths. India Ministry of Health
Initially announced for February 24-28, Liberia’s nationwide typhoid vaccination campaign will run in April to reach children age 9 months to 15 years. Liberia Broadcasting System; Liberia Ministry of Health
Multiple Indian states conducted mass drug administration (MDA) events in February against lymphatic filariasis. West Bengal ran its drive in five districts and two health districts February 8-10, and Jharkand held a drive in four districts from February 22-27. Running its drive in two phases, Odisha conducted the first phase in eight districts February 10-19 and will carry out the next phase in nine districts from February 25-March 6. Pragativadi News; Ministry of Health; Minister of Health
India’s Uttar Pradesh state kicked off an additional Japanese encephalitis vaccine campaign round in 38 districts on February 21, targeting children ages 2-15 who missed their shots in previous sessions. Times of India
Uganda began its fourth phase of hepatitis B control activities on February 19 in 31 districts in the Central 1 and Southwest regions of the country, including Kampala Metropolitan Area, targeting all people age 19 and older with testing, vaccinations, and—for those who test positive—further evaluations for treatment and monitoring. The activities will run until October 2021. Ministry of Health