Out-Of-Time vaccination and zero-dose in 12-23-month-old children in Mozambique: evidence from 4 community national surveys

Despite the progress made in Africa’s vaccine coverage, more than 50% of children under the age of five in Mozambique have incomplete vaccination. This can lead to weakened immune responses and outbreaks of diseases, especially among zero-dose children and those who receive vaccinations out of schedule. To address this issue, this project will determine the rate of missed vaccination opportunities, including timeliness, regional inequalities, and temporal variation that affect the immunization status of children in Mozambique. The project will involve cross-sectional and trend analysis of five national surveys, including DHS from 1997, 2004, 2011, 2022-23, and IMASIDA from 2015. The study will follow the World Health Organization’s recommendations for vaccination coverage. The findings can help develop effective strategies to improve vaccination coverage and reduce the prevalence of unvaccinated children in the country. By identifying setbacks and missed opportunities in immunization campaigns, the project can provide valuable insights for policymakers.