Togo: New Malaria Vaccination Campaign Targets 269,000 Children

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Togo: New Malaria Vaccination Campaign Targets 269,000 Children

Health

Thursday, 04 September 2025 14:02

Togo: New Malaria Vaccination Campaign Targets 269,000 Children

Togo starts administering the anti-malarial R21/Matrix-M vaccine

It is the 22nd African country to adopt the drug

Campaign began this week, targeting around 269,000 children annually; it aims to curb malaria-related morbidity and mortality by 65% by 2030.

Togo has adopted the R21/Matrix-M anti-malarial vaccine, joining others like Ghana, Benin, Nigeria. The country, the 22^nd on the continent to introduce the drug, kicked off a vaccination campaign on September 1.
Malaria is a major health and economic challenge in Togo. The disease, according to the Togolese Ministry of Health, accounts for 40% of outpatient consultations and 25% of hospital admissions, especially affecting children under five years old, who are the primary target of this campaign. In 2022, this age group represented 64% of confirmed cases and 65% of hospital deaths linked to the disease.
The vaccination schedule includes four doses between 5 and 15 months. The goal is to vaccinate approximately 269,000 children annually (simultaneously covering the country's 39 health districts), which equates to 3.1% of the population, with an intended coverage rate of 80% for the first dose and 70% for the fourth.
The campaign is bolstered by a partnership between the government, the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Togo's health authorities aim to reduce malaria-related child morbidity and mortality by 65% by 2030.

To achieve this goal, authorities must tackle several hurdles, such as getting parents onboard, fighting misinformation, and securing necessary resources, sustainably.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

REFORMS OVERVIEW

STARTING A BUSINESS (more info)

At the fifteenth position, worldwide, and first in Africa, under the Starting a Business index of the 2020 Doing Business ranking, Togo sustains its reformative dynamics with more reforms….

ENFORCING CONTRACTS (more info)

Compared to some years ago when it was one of the lowest rankers under the Doing Business’ Enforcing Contracts indicator, Togo, leveraging many efforts to improve its business climate, was able to jump significantly on the index in the recent years... .

CONTRACT EXECUTION (more info)

Creation of special chambers of commerce for small debts • Creation of chambers of commerce at the Court of Appeal • Civil and commercial cases now handled by distinct clerks • Establishment of commercial courts in Lomé and Kara • Lawyers and bailiffs now have access to the FORSETI COMMERCIAL platform • A maximum period of 100 days was fixed to settle a commercial dispute .

TRADING ACROSS BORDERS (more info)

In comparison to previous years,Togo has significantly improved its ranking under the“Trading across borders” indicator by adopting multiple reforms that focus mainly on the digitization and reduction in delays, for import and export procedures related to import and export.

In comparison to previous years, Togo has significantly improved its ranking on the “Trading across borders” index by adopting multiple reforms that focus mainly on the digitalization and reduction in delays, for import and export procedures related to import and export.

CONSTRUCTION PERMIT (more info)

After moving from the 133rd to 127th place under the 2020 Doing Business’ construction permit index, Togo intends to reiterate this feat in the coming edition of the global ranking. To this end, it has introduced this year multiple reforms.

GETTING ELECTRICITY (more info)

Over the past two years, Togo’s ranking under the Doing Business’ Getting electricity and water indicator has increased consistently. Owing this performance to multiple reforms aimed at making it easier for businesses to access power and water, Lomé plans to introduce even more reforms this year to keep up its improvements.

REGISTERING A PROPERTY (more info)

Out of all the 'Doing Business’ indicators, Property Registration is where Togo has improved the most since 2018. Indeed, after spending years in the lowest part of this ranking, the country now seeks to beat Rwanda which is the best performer on this index in Africa. To do so, Lomé has been introducing many reforms, with the latest batch implemented this year.

PUBLIC PROCUREMENT (more info)

From professionalization to digitization, through legislative regulations, Togo’s public procurement framework is constantly being modernized. Several reforms have been implemented to improve the sector much to the benefit of the private sector, which is the focus of the National Development Plan.

PAYING TAXES AND DUTIES (more info)

To improve its business environment, Togo introduced some important reforms related to the payment of tax and duties. From the replacement of some taxes to the cancellation of others through exemptions, the country has only one objective: offer the most attractive tax framework to investors and economic operators. To achieve this, the authorities relied on digitization.