Resources

To support the development and introduction of more sensitive rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for malaria, PATH and the Institut Pasteur de Dakar partnered to evaluate the performance of three novel LDH-based RDTs developed by Rapigen (Republic of Korea). This study evaluated the clinical performance and usability of three of Rapigen’s BIOCREDIT RDTs among a febrile population in Kédougou, Senegal, comparing them to current tests (the standard HRP2-based RDT and microscopy) and against PCR and quantitative antigen reference assays. The following brief summarizes key results from this evaluation.

In 2017, African leaders made a historic commitment to improving access to lifesaving vaccines across the African continent by endorsing the Addis Declaration on Immunization (ADI). This pledge included a targeted goal to expand domestic investments, ensuring that every African benefits from immunization.The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the African Union Commission conducted a comprehensive review of the ADI to assess the implementation progress of the ten ADI commitments between 2017 and 2023, highlighting areas of slow advancement and disparities in progress among African Union member states. To corroborate this review, findings from a retrospective study, conducted by PATH’s Center for Advocacy and Policy, in nine African countries on immunization financing between 2017 and 2023, provided additional evidence—especially on the fluctuating trends in government financing for immunization.The following immunization advocacy resources include an overview Africa brief, and country-specific briefs that provide key findings and recommendations from the study and highlight common trends, challenges, and opportunities.

Chronic hepatitis B is commonly the result of vertical transmission, and babies who are infected before they are one year old have a 90% risk of developing chronic hepatitis. Yet when administered within 24 hours of birth, the hepatitis B birth dose vaccine can prevent 75% to 95% of vertical transmission.With funding from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, PATH is employing a mixed methods approach to assess learning questions on the feasibility, acceptability, cost, market access, and impact of innovative strategies to improve the reach of timely hepatitis B birth dose vaccine for babies born in both in- and out-of-facility settings.By exploring innovative delivery strategies, assessing the role of community health systems, and understanding stakeholder perspectives, the project’s primary objective is to identify effective models for increasing hepatitis B birth dose coverage. Evidence and insights from this initiative will be applicable to countries planning for hepatitis B birth dose vaccine introduction as well as those seeking to deploy new strategies to increase coverage rates and timely administration within 24 hours of birth.

The Digital Innovation in Pandemic Control (DIPC) project, launched in November 2022, is a collaborative initiative led by GIZ and Digital Square at PATH to strengthen immunization systems in Ghana, Malawi, and Tanzania. In response to the fragmentation and lack of interoperability exposed during the COVID‑19 pandemic, DIPC works closely with country health ministries to select, localize, and implement digital public health tools—such as Electronic Immunization Registries and WHO SMART-based Digital Adaptation Kits—to build scalable, interoperable, and locally sustainable immunization platforms. Through end-to-end ecosystem mapping, system enhancement, and capacity building, the project aims to create resilient, digitally enabled immunization workflows that can support both routine vaccination and future pandemic preparedness across participating countries by 2025.

As part of the Strengthening Vaccine-Preventable Disease Surveillance System Assessment, 23 countries responded to the landscape survey, which included 86 questions, including a mix of yes or no and multiple-choice questions, making them primarily quantitative. A smaller number of open-ended questions captured more qualitative or contextual information. Survey responses were mapped to indicators within specific sub-domains of a maturity model, with scores calculated for each sub-domain. These were then averaged to generate an overall maturity score for each of the eight main domains.