This African Vaccination Week Sanofi South Africa reaffirms its commitment to vaccine awareness, access and public health partnerships to close the immunisation gap
Johannesburg, 20 April 2026 – Marked each year from 24 to 30 April, African Vaccination Week focuses on the need for equitable access to lifesaving vaccines across the continent.
It’s also a timely reminder that while vaccination remains one of the most effective tools in public health, gaps in coverage are a real concern, in South Africa and globally. UNICEF says immunisation prevents an estimated 4.4 million deaths every year,1 yet WHO reported that 14.3 million children worldwide missed out on all routine vaccines in 2024.2 Global coverage for the third dose of DTP-containing vaccine stood at 85% in 2024, while first-dose measles coverage was 84%.2
“Vaccination remains one of the smartest and most effective investments in public health,” says Jean-Baptiste Bregeon, Country Lead and Head of Vaccines, Sanofi South Africa. “Improving coverage is not only about having vaccines available. It’s about building trust, strengthening health systems, supporting healthcare workers and making sure people have the information they need to act. African Vaccination Week is a reminder that protecting lives takes sustained effort and strong partnerships, and Sanofi remains committed to playing its part in South Africa.”
In South Africa, the need is clear. The National Department of Health reported in 2024 that 80% of children in the country had received all their vaccinations by the age of one.3 That is progress, but it also means one in five children had missed one or more doses and was not fully protected. UNICEF South Africa has separately highlighted the urgency of reaching children who have missed routine immunisation entirely. There were 58,000 more zero dose children in 2024 and 278,000 without vaccination, leaving them vulnerable to vaccine preventable diseases.4 Measles vaccination coverage, for example, declined from 80% in 2023 to 76% in 2024.4
Recurring outbreaks of measles, cholera, polio and diphtheria have added pressure to the health system, while disruption to routine immunisation has left more children vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases and increased the risk of further outbreaks.5
This year’s campaign aims to intensify vaccination and surveillance activities in districts with high numbers of under-vaccinated and unvaccinated children. Vaccines included in South Africa’s national immunisation schedule are available free of charge at primary healthcare facilities.
Sanofi says its focus in South Africa over the next two to three years will be to continue supporting the Department of Health to improve vaccine coverage across the country, with a focus on access, availability, education and awareness.
“Improving vaccine uptake requires a practical, local approach that recognises the realities of South Africa’s healthcare system, including uneven coverage, pressure on frontline services, and the challenge of reaching communities across both urban and rural settings,” says Bregeon.
That’s why partnership matters, he adds. “Improving immunisation outcomes takes coordinated action across government, healthcare providers, communities and industry. Strong supply is important, but so is public confidence, clear communication and consistent follow-through at clinic level.”
This African Vaccination Week, Sanofi calls on all South Africans to ensure their vaccinations are up to date and encourages healthcare providers to continue championing immunisation as a cornerstone of preventive health.”
References
1. UNICEF. Vaccination and immunization statistics. Available at: https://data.unicef.org/topic/child-health/immunization/
2. World Health Organization. Immunization coverage. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/immunization-coverage
3. Republic of South Africa, Department of Health. Overview of Expanded Programme on Immunisation in South Africa (EPI-SA). Available at: https://knowledgehub.health.gov.za/system/files/2024-05/VACCINE%20HESITANCY%20WEBINAR_OVERVIEW%20OF%20EPI_MAY_2024_FINAL.pdf
Moyo S, Ashok A, Myers L, Nyankieya R, Sharma S, Prasad R. The impact of COVID-19 on routine child immunisation in South Africa. BMC Public Health. 2024;24:3077. Available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-024-20591-w
5. Moyo S, Ashok A, Myers L, Nyankieya R, Sharma S, Prasad R. The impact of COVID-19 on routine child immunisation in South Africa. BMC Public Health. 2024;24:3077. Available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-024-20591-w
