Central African Republic (CAR) has one of the lowest vaccination rates in central Africa, with less than 20 percent of children having completed a full vaccination schedule.
Constant insecurity, geographic isolation, and a weakened health infrastructure mean that many children and families are unable to access health care. In response, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) recently collaborated with the Ministry of Health and Population to carry out a catch-up vaccination campaign in Batangafo, Ouham-Fafa prefecture to help protect children from preventable diseases.
Carrying lifesaving supplies across a river to reach remote areas
One July morning under a cloudy sky, the MSF team in Batangafo prepared to trek to the village of Mala, 15 miles from an MSF-supported district hospital, to vaccinate children under 5 years old.
In addition to standard vaccination supplies, the team also had to prepare motorcycles and protective gear to travel to the remote village. After a rigorous security briefing, the team set off to the banks of the Fafa River, which they crossed via canoe with their motorcycles.
The convoy then wound through narrow paths in the forest until reaching Mala, where families were waiting with their children to meet them.
“During the vaccination awareness sessions, we were told there are several types of vaccines, including those against polio and malaria,” explained Cynthia, a mother of five.
Since November 2024, MSF has integrated the new malaria vaccine adopted by CAR—known as R21/Matrix-M—into the vaccination package offered in Batangafo. This vaccine is an essential prevention tool, particularly during the rainy season and peak malaria transmission periods.
Low vaccination coverage nationwide
In CAR, vaccination coverage rates are among the lowest in central Africa. According to the World Health Organization, as of 2024 only 16 percent of children had completed their full vaccination schedule, while 34 percent had never received any vaccine.
MSF, in collaboration with the MoHP, regularly deploys routine and catch-up vaccination activities in the Batangafo health district to protect children living in these remote areas, who are often left out of national immunization campaigns.
Between January and July 2025, 13,560 children were vaccinated, receiving doses against easily preventable childhood diseases including measles, polio, diphtheria, tetanus, and malaria.
“Our teams work closely with health authorities, following national protocols,” explains Dr. Alexandre Monnan, MSF medical coordinator in CAR. “We organize catch-up vaccination outreach along predefined routes to ensure that all villages are covered. Community mobilization in advance is key to maximizing impact.”
Vaccination activities such as those conducted by MSF in Batangafo are vital not only to protect children but also to limit outbreaks of measles, polio and diphtheria, diseases that are making a worrying comeback.
Difficult context and underfunding
MSF’s efforts in CAR take place in a particularly tense national context. Chronic insecurity, weak health infrastructure, a shortage of qualified medical staff, and the geographic isolation of many communities limit access to preventive health care.
The situation has worsened following the suspension of USAID funding in 2025. At the same time, several international donors have scaled back their commitments to CAR, directly impacting the system’s capacity to meet the population’s basic needs. According to the UN 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan, 2.4 million Central Africans—37.5 percent of the population—are extremely vulnerable in 2025, “to the extent that humanitarian assistance alone will not be enough to restore their wellbeing.”
In 2024, 242,500 Central African children were vaccinated thanks to joint efforts with health authorities—an achievement that significantly contributed to preventing childhood diseases and reducing child mortality.
MSF reaffirms its commitment to continuing these essential activities to protect the health of the most vulnerable. We call on all partners to mobilize the necessary resources to safeguard children’s lives.
