Source: APO
Mohamed arrives at Moungali Health Centre in northern Brazzaville carrying his ten-day-old son, Petito, in his arms. On this particular morning, he is the one bringing his child for vaccination.
“His mother needed some rest, so I brought Petito to receive his polio and tuberculosis vaccines. We want him to receive all his vaccines on time,” he says, highlighting the importance his family places on protecting their child at the very beginning of life.
Around him, consultations continue throughout the morning. Vaccination cards are checked, doses prepared and parents guided through the process. Some have come for their child’s first vaccines, while others are seeking advice or catching up on missed doses.
Every working day, families from surrounding neighbourhoods visit the health centre to access vaccination services. Before each session, parents participate in health talks covering different aspects of maternal and child health.
For Gisèle Manguitoukoulou, a nurse working in the vaccination unit, these discussions are a key part of the job. “Our role goes beyond administering vaccines. We listen to parents, reassure them and help them understand why every vaccination appointment matters,” she explains.
Nearby, Elyam gently rocks her nine-month-old son, Cresty, who has just received his yellow fever vaccine. Comforted in his mother’s arms, the baby quickly calms down and begins smiling again. “Cresty usually cries a little after vaccination, but when I hold him, he feels better and starts smiling again. When that happens, I smile too, because I know he is protected against disease,” she says.
Behind these everyday moments lies a strong community-based effort to ensure families have access to life-saving vaccines. In Brazzaville, this work relies on health centres and dedicated frontline health workers who engage with communities every day.
With support from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) continues its efforts to improve access to vaccination services, strengthen community awareness and ensure better follow-up for both children and adults.
This support includes training health workers, analysing vaccination coverage data and implementing outreach strategies to reach people who have not yet received all recommended doses.
The results are encouraging. In Brazzaville, vaccination coverage increased significantly between January and April 2026. Coverage for the first dose of the measles-rubella vaccine rose from 85% to 94.4%, while coverage for the third dose of oral polio vaccine increased from 82.4% to 92.3%. “Vaccination protects people at every stage of life,” says Dr Angelie Serge Patrick Dzabatou-Babeaux, WHO Immunization Adviser in the Republic of the Congo. “WHO supports vaccination teams through training, monitoring tools and field activities so that children and adults can more easily access these services and benefit from the protection that vaccines provide.”
This commitment to expanding access to essential health services is reflected in health centres across the country, where every vaccination session helps strengthen the relationship between families and health workers.
For Professor Jile Florient Mimiesse, Director of the Expanded Programme on Immunization, the scenes observed in health facilities illustrate the importance of sustained commitment. “Every vaccination card reviewed, every dose administered and every family counselled contributes to stronger community protection. Our priority is to maintain confidence in vaccines, reduce missed opportunities and ensure that vaccination remains accessible to everyone, from newborns to adults,” he says.
The flow of people seeking vaccination services also highlights the importance of dialogue between health workers and families. Beyond the act of vaccination itself, these interactions provide opportunities to address concerns, review vaccination records and guide individuals according to their vaccination needs.
They also help identify children who have been missed during vaccination drives and support families in continuing care when vaccination cards have been lost.
As the day progresses, vaccination emerges as something that accompanies families through different stages of life. It protects infants, reassures parents and reminds adults of the importance of prevention.
In health centres, this continuity takes a very practical form: adults whose vaccination schedules need to be completed can also receive EPI vaccines free of charge.
Love, a woman in her forties, has just completed her vaccination visit. She proudly holds up her vaccination card, now filled with years of carefully recorded appointments, before placing it back in her bag. On this day, she receives the final dose of a diphtheria and tetanus vaccination series that she began three years ago.
She pauses for a moment, smiles and reflects on what this journey means to her. “Vaccination is not only for children. At every age, it is important to protect yourself. I encourage other adults to do the same and make sure their vaccinations are up to date.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – Republic of the Congo.