Comparing vaccination coverage before and during COVID-19 pandemic in children under one year in the health district of commune V in Bamako, Mali

Mountaga Diallo; Ilo Dicko; Samou Dembélé; Brahima Konaté; Cheick Oumar Doumbia; Ibrahim Sanogo; Ousmane Boua Togola; Drissa Konaté; Moussa Sangaré; Hawa Thiam; Yaya Ibrahim Coulibaly; Sory Ibrahim Diawara; Yacouba Toloba; Adama Balla Coulibaly; Mahamadou Diakité; Seydou Doumbia

doi:10.1186/s12887-023-04416-0

Comparing vaccination coverage before and during COVID-19 pandemic in children under one year in the health district of commune V in Bamako, Mali

BMC Pediatr. 2023 Nov 27;23(1):599. doi: 10.1186/s12887-023-04416-0.

Authors

Mountaga Diallo¹, Ilo Dicko², Samou Dembélé², Brahima Konaté², Cheick Oumar Doumbia², Ibrahim Sanogo², Ousmane Boua Togola³, Drissa Konaté², Moussa Sangaré⁴, Hawa Thiam⁵, Yaya Ibrahim Coulibaly⁴, Sory Ibrahim Diawara², Yacouba Toloba^{2

6}, Adama Balla Coulibaly⁷, Mahamadou Diakité², Seydou Doumbia²

Affiliations

¹ University Clinical Research Center (UCRC), University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako (USTT-B), Bamako, Mali. diallomountaga91@gmail.com.
² University Clinical Research Center (UCRC), University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako (USTT-B), Bamako, Mali.
³ Direction Générale de la Santé et de l'Hygiène Publique, Bamako, Mali.
⁴ Neglected Tropical Diseases Research Unit, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako (USTT-B), Bamako, Mali.
⁵ Centre de Santé de Référence de la Commune V du District Sanitaire de Bamako, Bamako, Mali.
⁶ Centre Hospitalier Universitaire du Point G, Bamako, Mali.
⁷ Direction Régionale de la Santé du District Sanitaire de Bamako, Bamako, Mali.

Abstract

Introduction: Although an essential frontline service in the prevention of child morbidity and mortality, there are indications that routine vaccinations have been disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study aimed to compare vaccination coverage before COVID-19 in Mali in 2019 and during COVID-19 in 2020.

Objective: To compare vaccination coverages before COVID-19 in Mali in 2019 and during COVID-19 in 2020.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting and participants: We collected routine immunization data from 2019 to 2020 of children under one year in the health district of Commune V in Bamako which includes twelve community health centers (CSCom).

Results: Considering all vaccines together, coverage in 2019 was higher than in 2020 (88.7% vs. 71,6%) (p < 10^{- 3}, Fig. 1). In 2020, low proportions of children vaccinated were observed in May (51.1%) two months after the first COVID-19 case in Mali on March 25, 2020. For all vaccines, the mean number of children vaccinated was significantly higher in 2019 (before COVID-19) as compared to 2020 (during COVID-19) (p < 0.05). However, in September and October 2019 BCG vaccine coverage was lower in 2019 as compared to 2020 (p < 10^{- 3}).

Conclusion: COVID-19 pandemic has affected routine childhood vaccine coverage in Commune V of Bamako, particularly in May 2020. Therefore, new strategies are needed to improve vaccine coverage in young children below 1.

Keywords: COVID-19; Children; Mali; Pandemic; Routine vaccination; Vaccination coverage.

MeSH terms

BCG Vaccine
COVID-19* / epidemiology
COVID-19* / prevention & control
Child
Child, Preschool
Cross-Sectional Studies
Humans
Infant
Mali / epidemiology
Pandemics
Vaccination
Vaccination Coverage*

Substances

BCG Vaccine