Acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines in sub-Saharan Africa: evidence from six national phone surveys
By Shelton Kanyanda, Yannick Markhof, Philip Wollburg and Alberto Zezza
The study estimates the willingness to accept a COVID-19 vaccine in six sub-Saharan African countries (Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria and Uganda) and identify differences in acceptance across countries and population groups using a longitudinal survey. Data was disaggregated by demographic attributes and socioeconomic factors obtained from national household surveys. The study showed acceptance rates in the six sub-Saharan African countries studied are generally high, with low systematic differences in vaccine hesitancy by sex or age but some clusters of hesitancy in urban areas, among the better educated, and in richer households. Safety concerns about the vaccine in general and its side effects specifically emerge as the primary reservations toward a COVID-19 vaccine across countries. To turn intent into effective demand, targeted information, sensitization and engagement campaigns bolstering confidence in the safety of approved vaccines and reducing concerns about side effects will be crucial to safeguard the swift progression of vaccine rollout in one of the world’s poorest regions.
Recommended for you

We make vaccines more accessible, enable innovation and expand immunization across the globe.