On November 14, 2025, Ivorian health authorities launched an ambitious vaccination campaign in Abidjan aimed at reaching nearly 5 million children. This national initiative, covering all 113 health districts, seeks to protect children aged 0 to 59 months and strengthen their health from early childhood.
Ivorian health authorities launched on November 14, 2025, in Abidjan a wide vaccination campaign against infectious diseases, targeting nearly 5 million children. This initiative, named « Big Catch Up, » covers 113 health districts across the country and focuses on children aged 0 to 59 months.
This activity takes place in all 113 districts of our country and in the 33 regions. Here, it is the official launch, but you know that across the entire country, starting today, we will ensure that children who have not been vaccinated and children will receive their vitamin A supplementation. This campaign is important for our country to bring our indicators up to standard. The goal is to ensure that the children of Côte d’Ivoire receive their vaccines.
Professor Mamadou SAMBA, Director General of Health – Côte d’Ivoire
During this campaign, mobile health teams will simultaneously carry out catch-up vaccinations for under-vaccinated or never-vaccinated children, distribute vitamin A, and screen for acute malnutrition. This month-long operation comes in the context of declining vaccination coverage following the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Covid-19 pandemic severely tested our health systems, disrupted essential services, and set back decades of efforts to protect children against preventable diseases. In 2023, 14.5 million infants worldwide had not received the first dose of the DTP vaccine, reflecting insufficient access to vaccination and other health services. An additional 6.1 million infants had only received one vaccine dose, meaning that approximately 21 million children were at risk of contracting infectious diseases that can be severe, potentially fatal, or cause disabilities.
Augustin BIRBA, UNICEF Representative – Côte d’Ivoire
This campaign is part of an international framework supported by WHO and UNICEF, aiming to complete vaccinations, catch up on delays, improve vitamin A supplementation, and reduce child mortality. Currently, Côte d’Ivoire records a vaccination coverage rate of 85% for essential vaccines, and the government aims to reach 95% by 2030
