Health campaigns: monthly highlights

A collection of July 2024 campaign stories captured and curated by Linksbridge

In partnership with the Health Campaign Effectiveness Coalition (a program of The Task Force for Global Health, Inc.), our team curates a monthly roundup of health campaigns worldwide. To access full coverage, sign up today.

For up-to-date worldwide campaign data, visit the coalition's Health Campaigns Intelligence Hub.

Featured stories

C?te d’Ivoire in July became the first country to roll out the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine. Kicking off the jab’s introduction into the country’s routine immunization schedule, a campaign beginning July 15 targeted 250,000 children under age 2 across 16 regions. AP News; Healthcare Middle East & Africa

South Sudan launched the R21 malaria jab in a campaign beginning July 16. Targeting 265,897 children ages 18 months to 5 years, the effort focused on 28 counties across six states—Central Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria, Jonglei, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Western Bahr el Ghazal and Warrap—selected due to their high malaria prevalence. South Sudan MoH; The Tower Post

Spotlight on polio campaigns

India’s Rajasthan state launched an anti-polio campaign on June 30 as part of the country’s “Pulse Polio” program, targeting 10.7 million children ages 5 and under with oral drops in all 50 districts. Some 77,500 healthcare teams conducted the effort at 61,500 polio booths and followed up with door-to-door visits. NDTV; Times of India?

Pakistan responded to a polio outbreak with an OPV campaign July 1-7 targeting more than 9.5 million kids under age 5. The door-to-door effort was carried out across 16 districts in Balochistan, 11 districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, eight in Sindh, five in Punjab, and in Islamabad. Relief Web

Afghanistan kicked off a four-day anti-polio campaign on July 8. The door-to-door effort reached about 8 million children under 5 with oral polio drops in 23 of the country’s 34 provinces. Xinhua

Niger’s capital, Niamey, launched a five-day anti-polio campaign on July 11, targeting 6,842,491 children under age 5 with nOPV2. Xinhua

Indonesia carried out the second phase of its national polio immunization week initiative in 27 provinces, targeting children under age 8. Most provinces administered the first vaccine dose July 23-July 29, with a second dose planned for early August. In DKI Jakarta province, vaccinators aimed to reach 1,209,303 children with two doses of nOPV2. Meanwhile, 589,031 children were targeted in South Kalimantan province; 245,257 in Tangerang city; 236,000 in Palembang city; 162,752 in Gorontalo province; 157,210 in South Lampung Regency; 106,081 in Kampar Regency; 99,088 children in North Kalimantan; 86,471 in Banjarmasin city; more than 55,000 in Pinrang Regency; 37,674 in Kapuas Regency; 24,309 in Nagekeo Regency; and 19,901 in Buton Regency. The first phase of the initiative took place in late May, spanning 33 provinces. Antara News; Indonesia MoH; South Kalimantan Province; North Kalimantan Province; Tangerang City; Palembang City; Gorontalo Province; South Lampung Regency; Kampar Regency; Banjarmasin City; Pinrang Regency; Kapuas Regency; Nagekeo Regency; Buton Regency

Nepal’s Kathmandu Valley launched an outbreak response campaign against polio on July 24, reporting 104% coverage of its goal of reaching 280,000 children under 5 with bOPV. Originally planned to end July 27, the campaign was extended by one week. The Himalayan Times; Kathmandu Post

Integrated campaigns

Yemen conducted the second round of a polio vaccination campaign July 15 to 17, reaching over 1.3 million children under 5 with nOPV2. The door-to-door effort, covering 1 million households across 12 southern governorates, involved 9,000 health workers, supervisors and social mobilizers. Children also received vitamin A supplements during the campaign. The campaign’s first round took place in February. Relief Web

Syria launched a second round of Big Catch-Up events on July 21. The five-day push aimed to screen over 2 million children under age 5, ultimately protecting more than 300,000 with various vaccines. The effort involved over 7,500 health workers at fixed sites and on mobile teams. The country’s first round of Big Catch-Up activity, in April, reached more than 1.8 million kids. Gavi; WHO AFRO

The DRC continued an integrated mass vaccination campaign across several regions, focusing on measles. In the Kampene health zone of Maniema province, a drive from the end of May to early July saw 59,996 children ages 6 months to 9 years immunized against measles, while 12,850 children under age 2 also received vaccines against pneumonia, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and hepatitis. In Sankuru province, vaccinators protected 56,130 children ages 6 months to 9 years against measles in June and July. Elsewhere, a five-day measles immunization campaign in the Mangala region of Djugu territory reached over 30,000 children ages 5 to 15. Nouvelle RDC; MSF RDC (1); MSF RDC (2); Radio Okapi

Peru carried out integrated influenza and pneumococcus immunization campaigns in various regions in July. In Huánuco from July 6-15, vaccinators reached seniors, pregnant women, people with chronic illnesses and children, giving shots door to door and in public spaces. Similar efforts took place in Amazonas, Cusco, Loreto, Moquegua and San Martín. In addition, health personnel deployed to public places in Lima from July 26-29, offering vaccines against polio, measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, and other diseases, and also giving out pentavalent jabs. In the region of Loreto, a campaign running through July 24 went house to house seeking to reach people (especially children) living in the tri-border areas of Brazil, Colombia and Peru with routine immunization jabs. Government of Peru (1); Peru MoH; Government of Peru (2); Government of Peru (3)

Local campaigns

Kenya launched a school-based deworming drive?on July 4, aiming to reach 6 million children ages 2-14 in 16 high-risk counties. Some 28,000 teachers underwent Ministry of Health training to facilitate the deworming process.?Kenya MoH; Kenya News; Kirinyaga District

Egypt in early July embarked on the second phase of a test-and-treat campaign against schistosomiasis, fasciola and intestinal parasites. The first phase of the three-month effort collected samples from 4,755,280 people (10% of the rural population), while the second phase aimed to collect samples from 100 people each month. Positive cases were to receive treatment through local health units. Healthcare Middle East & Africa

The Indian state of Telangana began a Japanese encephalitis vaccination campaign on July 25, set to run through August 15. The exercise targeted over 1.5 million children ages 9 months to 15 years in the districts of Hyderabad and Medchal-Malkajgiri as well as areas in Rangareddy and Vikarabad. Vaccinations were administered in childcare centers, government schools and healthcare facilities. The Hindu

Guyana began a door-to-door MDA campaign against lymphatic filariasis on July 5, targeting at-risk populations in two regions. The two-week exercise—marking the third round of a series of MDAs that began with a first round in 2019 and a second in 2021—involved 700 health workers and volunteers visiting homes, workplaces and schools to administer the IDA regimen (ivermectin plus DEC and albendazole). Lymphatic filariasis has been eliminated from the country’s eight other regions. PAHO (1); PAHO (2); News Source Guyana

Northeastern South Sudan’s Jur River county conducted an MDA campaign against onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis July 28-August 3. The door-to-door initiative targeted children ages 5 and older. Radio Tamazuj

India began a nationwide “STOP Diarrhea” campaign on July 1.?Running through August 31, the effort aimed to distribute oral rehydration and zinc packets to households with children under age 5 in a bid to achieve zero childhood diarrhea deaths through prepositioned countermeasures. STOP Diarrhea is an expansion of the country’s Intensified Diarrhea Control Fortnight initiative, which began in 2014. India MoH

The city of Douala in Cameroon conducted a yellow fever vaccine campaign from July 24-30, targeting people ages 9 months to 60 years. Vaccinations were administered in hospitals, universities, markets, business centers, places of worship and other public areas. The effort came in response to a rise in yellow fever cases and deaths since 2023. Cameroon MoH

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