JSI Supports the “Big Catch-up” to Close Immunization Gaps in Mozambique
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Between the COVID-19 pandemic and several historically destructive cyclones, progress in vaccinating children in Mozambique stalled in the early 2020s. Since then, the Ministry of Health (MOH), through its Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) and partners, has made great strides in recovering the routine immunization program, closing access and uptake gaps, and reducing the number of under-immunized and never-vaccinated (zero dose) children vulnerable to vaccine-preventable illness. A series of “Big Catch-up” (BCU) campaigns has also contributed to reaching children who missed their immunizations during previous health service disruptions.
JSI has worked closely with the MOH/EPI and partners to support the BCU, including the recent BCU campaign on March 26–30, the fourth campaign in the series. This round targeted 62 priority districts in the provinces of Niassa (13), Cabo Delgado (14), Nampula (21), and Zambezia (14), reaching a total of 432.474 children under five who had incomplete vaccination schedules. Beyond expanding coverage, this round also focused on reconciling vaccine stocks, tracking doses administered, and measuring the remaining unused supply to optimize resources for future immunization efforts.
JSI played a vital technical role from microplanning to implementation throughout this fourth round. In addition to participating in the campaign launch in the Quelimane district, we provided comprehensive system support in the provinces of Zambézia and Nampula, focusing on:
- Training health and community teams to ensure high-quality service
- Supporting the distribution and relocation of vaccines and vaccination materials to health facilities
- Providing continuous supportive supervision and technical monitoring of teams
- Leading daily review meetings to adapt delivery strategies in real-time
These joint actions reinforce the ongoing JSI commitment to improve vaccination coverage and protect the health of children in Mozambique.