During the global COVID-19 pandemic, declared by the World Health Organization on 11 March 2020, many countries reported high levels of vaccine hesitancy among younger population groups. Negative healthcare experiences and general distrust of government have cultivated vaccine hesitancy across Africa. Misleading information about vaccine side-effects on social media adds to this challenge.

This hesitancy continues today. A 2024 study on adolescents and young adults (aged 10 to 35) in sub-Saharan Africa found a vaccine acceptance rate of just 38.7%.

Dr. Oluwaseyi Dolapo Somefun,Research Associate at University of the Western Cape joined us to unpack the findings of the report  carried out among 165 young adults in Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia, which sought to establish what could be done to help improve future vaccine acceptance, inform campaigns and prepare for future public health responses.