The advent of safe and effective vaccines was a pivotal development in the fight against COVID-19. In 2021, 92 low- and middle-income countries covered by the advanced market commitment (AMC92) had limited access to COVID-19 vaccines due to supply constraints,
creating a vaccine gap. Unless closed, the gap posed a number of threats – including prolonging disease transmission, and the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and the emergence of new variants.
Recognizing the urgency to ensure equitable access, WHO launched the COVID-19 Vaccine Delivery Partnership (CoVDP) in January 2022, in collaboration with UNICEF and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. CoVDP was set up to support readiness and in-country delivery
of 4.8 billion vaccines to AMC92 countries, focusing foremost on the 34 countries that were at or below 10% coverage in January 2022.
2022 saw significant progress made, with the vaccination gap decreasing by 7% across AMC92 countries by the end of November. CoVDP’s 34 Countries for Concerted Support experienced similar improvements, with coverage increasing seven-fold from January
to November 2022.
Notably, the Democratic Republic of Congo achieved an 18-fold increase in dose delivery following a CoVDP mission in April. Working in collaboration with the government, CoVDP encouraged vaccine uptake among the population by mobilizing religious and
community leaders to develop alternative communication approaches and advocate for COVID-19 vaccination. The project was piloted in Kishasa and saw 72% of participants vaccinated. Local authorities and community health workers were involved throughout.
CoVDP high-level missions also drove Cameroon’s primary coverage series to more than double in November 2022. CoVDP and WHO AFRO’s surge team encouraged a multi-sectoral approach to support opportunistic vaccination and helped synchronize
the campaign with the 5th national mass vaccination campaign, leveraging existing channels to increase uptake.
While 64% of the global population have now completed their primary vaccination series, inequities persist, indicating the need for CoVDP’s work to continue. Access to dedicated and reliable investment means WHO can continue providing context-specific
strategic and technical support for COVID-19, enabling countries to meet important milestones fundamental for ending the threats posed by the disease.
