DECEMBER 2021 - In April 2021, UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO) initiated phase 2 of its Real-Time Assessment (RTA) of UNICEF’s response to COVID-19 across the Eastern and Southern Africa region. The second phase of this exercise aimed to provide more in-depth analysis and emerging best practices and lessons through qualitative data gathered from four case study countries (Ethiopia, Rwanda, South Africa and South Sudan).

Read the report on COVID-19 vaccine demand promotion here.

Key assessment findings on COVID-19 vaccine demand promotion:

• UNICEF has supported strong partnerships and fundraising for COVID-19 vaccine demand promotion

• UNICEF is supporting data collection to understand drivers of vaccine demand and uptake and uses data to inform targeted social and behaviour change interventions

What is working:

• A combination of in-person and offline data collection

• Using existing community feedback mechanisms and working with local CSOs to collect data

• Ongoing use of data to improve targeted social and behaviour change interventions

• Close partner collaboration to harmonize vaccine demand promotion interventions

• Use of multiple trusted channels, including local radio and key influencers

Challenges:

• Reduced income due to the pandemic is affecting people’s ability to access health facilities and vaccination points

• Inadequate funding and transport to reach remote populations

• Campaigns are working but need to be more targeted

Priorities for action:

1. Funding and partnerships to scale-up data collection.

2. More specific and updated communications on when and where to be vaccinated and on vaccine safety and efficacy.

3. Further disaggregated data to inform planning.

4. Integrating COVID-19 social and behavioural change interventions into other essential health and nutrition services.

5. Build capacity of sub-national governments on all areas of COVID-19 vaccine demand promotion.