Lesotho celebrates vaccination milestone with 12,447 children reached during Africa Vaccination Week

LESOTHO – The Lesotho Ministry of Health, with unwavering dedication and support from the World Health Organization (WHO), reached 12,447 children with the Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine during the recent Africa Vaccination Week. 

The vaccination campaign ran from April 29 to May 4 and aimed to catch up with unvaccinated and under-vaccinated children across all ten country districts. 

The objectives were to develop district and health facility micro-plans and mobilize communities to ensure all eligible children were vaccinated. 

Speaking at the launch of the African Vaccination Week in Quthing district, the Minister of Health, Mr. Selibe Mochoboraone, urged parents and guardians to keep their children’s routine vaccinations up to date. 

“We call on all parents to ensure their children’s routine vaccinations are up to date. It is the best thing we can do for ourselves, our families, and our communities,” the minister said. 

Representing the WHO Country Representative, Dr. Mesfin Zbelo reiterated the organization’s commitment to supporting the Government of Lesotho in ensuring that every individual has access to life-saving vaccines. 

“Vaccination is not merely a medical intervention; it is a fundamental human right,” Dr. Zbelo emphasized. 

This year’s African Vaccination Week was particularly significant, as it marked the 50th anniversary of the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), launched by the WHO in 1974. 

The program has expanded from targeting six diseases initially to now covering 14 vaccine-preventable diseases, proving to be highly effective in bridging the vaccine access gap and reaching populations with limited access to regular health services. 

Between 2000 and 2022, the region has seen a remarkable 76% reduction in annual measles deaths, saving an estimated 19.5 million lives. 

Additionally, eliminating maternal and neonatal tetanus has been a notable achievement, with 43 out of 47 high-burden African countries validated for elimination as of March 2024. 

However, the journey has been challenging; insufficient healthcare infrastructure, a shortage of skilled healthcare workers, limited resources for vaccine procurement, vaccine hesitancy, misinformation, and the COVID-19 pandemic have posed significant obstacles. 

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