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Vaccination

Immunisation is one of the most cost-effective medical interventions in public health. However, it is estimated that 1.5 million people die every year from diseases that are preventable by a series of vaccines recommended for children by the World Health Organization and MSF. Currently, these are DTP (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis), measles, polio, hepatitis B, Haemophilius influenzae type b (Hib), pneumococcal conjugate, rotavirus, BCG (against tuberculosis), rubella, yellow fever, and human papillomavirus – although not all vaccines are recommended everywhere.

In countries where vaccination coverage is generally low, MSF strives to offer routine vaccinations for children under five as part of its basic healthcare programme. Vaccination also forms a key part of MSF’s response to outbreaks of measles, cholera, yellow fever, and meningitis. Large-scale vaccination campaigns involve awareness-raising activities regarding the epidemic disease, benefits of immunisation, as well as information in regard to who, when and where to get the vaccine.

MSF carried out 2,271,900 routine vaccinations in 2019.

MSF a commencé à soutenir l'hôpital Old Fangak dans l'État de Jonglei, au Soudan du Sud, en 2014, pour fournir des soins de niveau hospitalier aux communautés reculées.
Three vaccinations you didn’t know were a priority in women’s health
Hepatitis E, tetanus and hepatitis B all pose significant but under-reported threats to the health and lives of women and girls, especially in low-income countries with limited access to healthcare. This can also mean life or death for their babies.
Un infirmier de l'hôpital général de référence de Lotumbe a enfilé son équipement de protection individuelle et s'apprête à rendre visite à un cas suspect d'Ebola qui vient d'être admis au Centre de Traitement Ebola (CTE).
Ebola: Vaccination during epidemic reduces risk of developing disease by 84%
Published in the Lancet Infectious Disease, a study has revealed that 10 days after vaccination, the risk of developing Ebola is reduced by 84 per cent in vaccinated people compared to non-vaccinated people.
Les agents de promotion de la santé de MSF sensibilisent la population au virus Mpox dans le site de déplacés de Kanyaruchinya. Nord-Kivu, RDC, 2024 © MSF
Mpox outbreak: "The availability of vaccines and diagnostic tools must be ensured"
On 13 August, CDC Africa declared Mpox a ‘public health emergency’. In the DRC, MSF has put in place several interventions to support the response to this epidemic. Here is a statement from Dr Amrish Baidjoe, Director of LuxOR.
Les personnes reçoivent leur dose de vaccin contre la fièvre jaune dans des postes de vaccination stratégiquement installés sur les marchés et dans toute la communauté de Yambi. Soudan du Sud, février 2024 © MSF/Isaac Buay
Gavi: the future five-year strategy must guarantee equitable access to vaccines
With routine vaccination efforts failing to reach people in fragile and emergency settings, MSF is seeing low vaccination coverage and more outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, like diphtheria and measles