Tanzania is stepping up efforts to identify and vaccinate children who have either missed routine immunisation or failed to complete their vaccination schedules, with a particular focus on remote and underserved communities.
The government says stronger domestic financing, better use of health data and improved service delivery will be key to ensuring that no child is left behind because of where they live.
Deputy Minister for Health Dr Florence Samizi made the remarks during a side meeting organised by Gavi on the margins of the 76th WHO-AFRO Regional Committee Meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The meeting brought together health stakeholders to discuss ways of increasing immunisation coverage and reaching children who remain unvaccinated.
Dr Samizi, who was a panellist, said Tanzania had maintained high vaccination coverage, citing 2024 figures showing that coverage for the third dose of the DTP-HepB-Hib vaccine reached 96 per cent.
Coverage for the first dose of measles-rubella vaccine stood at 99.8 per cent, while 94 per cent of eligible children received the second dose.
The country has also expanded HPV vaccination, reaching 5.48 million girls aged between nine and 14, according to the ministry.
However, Dr Samizi said high national coverage should not obscure gaps affecting children in rural areas, remote locations and communities that are difficult for health workers to reach.
She said the government was therefore focusing on improving access to vaccination services while strengthening mechanisms for identifying children who have missed doses.
“The government will continue strengthening vaccination services and increasing coverage, particularly among children living in hard-to-reach areas,” she said.
Dr Samizi said Tanzania would also increase its domestic contribution to financing immunisation programmes, reducing vulnerabilities associated with dependence on external support.
She added that better use of data would help health authorities track vaccination performance, identify underserved communities and ensure children who miss scheduled doses are followed up.
The approach is expected to strengthen routine immunisation rather than relying only on mass vaccination campaigns, making it easier for families to access vaccines through existing health services.
Dr Samizi also recognised Gavi’s continued support to Tanzania, saying the partnership had contributed to strengthening immunisation and public health services.
She said the government’s priority was not only to maintain high national vaccination rates but also to make coverage more equitable.
“The aim is to ensure that every child who needs a vaccine can access it, regardless of where they live,” she said.
The emphasis on equity is particularly important as Tanzania seeks to close the remaining immunisation gaps and prevent children in hard-to-reach communities from becoming vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases.
