Yellow fever vaccination campaign in Democratic Republic of the Congo: Logistics pathway

Yellow fever vaccination campaign in Democratic Republic of the Congo: Logistics pathway

8698ba6db22732e76d368bb2ba75fe31_XL.jpgThe biggest emergency yellow fever vaccination campaign ever held in Africa is underway in Democratic Republic of the Congo. With high risk of transmission of the mosquito-borne disease in the densely populated capital city of Kinshasa, the vaccination campaign aims to protect as many people at risk as possible and stop the outbreak before the rainy season begins in late September.

The logistics to vaccinate more than 10.5 million people in 32 health zones in Kinshasa provinces and 15 health zones in remote areas bordering Angola, has been a complex and challenging logistical undertaking. WHO has deployed 15 logisticians to plan and transport more than 10 million syringes, vaccine doses in more than 38000 vaccine carriers by truck, car, motorcycle, by boat and often by foot to the targeted 8000 vaccination sites, many of them in remote and hard to reach areas.