Mozambique's Zambezia province is making strides to catch up on rotavirus vaccination rates, which had fallen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rotavirus is a leading cause of moderate-to-severe diarrhea in Mozambique, which in turn is a leading cause of death in early childhood. The province's dip in vaccination rates was due to a combination of factors, including long waiting periods for vaccination appointments, travel challenges, and limited health workers. However, the main impediment was the setting up of borders within the province, which limited human movement. As a result, many parents considered getting the COVID-19 vaccine or sheltering in place as more important than the rotavirus vaccine. The province is now making up for lost time with an aggressive catch-up initiative, targeting all parts of the province, especially in rural districts. The initiative involves sending out hundreds of community volunteers, health workers, and sensitizing mothers who come to clinics for other reasons than the need for rotavirus vaccination for their kids. The province is also training church pastors, community herbalists, and mosque leaders to explain the benefits of rotavirus vaccination to their clients and congregants. The rotavirus publicity blitz is yielding gradual results, with the rate of vaccination increasing from 50 per month in 2022 to an average of 220 doses per month currently.
