COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy threatens to derail war against pandemic in Africa
Vaccine hesitancy in many parts of Africa has emerged as a potent threat to efforts to mitigate COVID-19 and could considerably counteract wider move to contain the pandemic, despite significant gains made to control the disease in the continent.
There is consensus among a cross-section of health experts from the continent that the fight against COVID-19 must address the pockets of apathy and reluctance that now threaten to derail mitigation of the disease.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines vaccine hesitancy as the delay in acceptance or refusal of vaccines despite availability of vaccine services. Hesitancy is complex and context-specific, varying across time, space and vaccines.
“Early evidence from across Africa shows that many are eager to get the vaccine, despite very limite...