At the maternal and child health centre of Agua Grande in the country’s capital, São Tomé, it’s vaccination day. By 9:00, the benches are filled with mothers cradling their babies and fathers watching over older children, while health booklets pass quietly from hand to hand amid the conversations. In the adjacent rooms, nurses prepare the vaccines, call families one by one and carefully record the data. Calm and trust fill the space.
Jucilène da Trindade, 35, a mother of three, waits for her turn with her youngest, child two-year-old Mateus. “With three children, my days are full! But I always find the time to get them vaccinated. It protects them and saves me medical expenses, giving them a safer future,” she confides, holding her son’s blue health booklet close to her.
Da Trindade is not only an attentive mother. She has also become a point of reference for other mothers in her neighbourhood. She encourages her neighbours to vaccinate their children, supports young mothers and relays information to her community.
Eunice Carvalho, 21, benefits from her support. “Jeanna is my very first child. I do everything to keep her healthy. Since my daughter was born, every visit to the centre to get her vaccinated reassures me that she grows up protected and safe,” she says proudly, holding the carefully filled pink booklet for her 15-month-old.
Community mobilization is one of the pillars of São Tomé and Príncipe’s success in vaccination. In 2019, coverage for the third dose of the pentavalent vaccine reached 94%, well above the regional average of 74%.
To strengthen routine immunization, World Health Organization (WHO) has supported the government in improving quality of care. This support has included integrated supervision in health districts, training technicians in data management and quality, enhanced strategic planning and better coordination between the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) and district teams.
The country has also eliminated neonatal tetanus and remains polio-free. “Seeing polio and neonatal tetanus disappear from my country is a tremendous satisfaction. On vaccination days, parents come on their own. Knowing that our work saves lives is a daily source of pride,” says Ana Lucia, a nurse for ten years at the Agua Grande maternal and child health centre.
Like everywhere else, the COVID-19 pandemic put this dynamic to the test. In 2023, vaccination coverage dropped to 87%. But the national response, with partner support, was rapid, structured and innovative. Supplementary vaccination activities were intensified, with a particular focus on districts with low coverage. The active search for zero-dose and under-vaccinated children by mobile teams at community level—supported by community health workers and civil society organizations—helped raise awareness and catch up children who were behind on their vaccination schedule.
WHO supported the introduction of new vaccines, vaccination campaigns and community mobilization to boost demand for immunization services. “The very essence of vaccination takes on a human face here: protecting children, strengthening family trust and building healthier communities. São Tomé and Príncipe shows that despite challenges, progress is possible,” says Dr Abdoulaye Diarra, WHO Representative in São Tomé and Príncipe.
The strong collaboration between the government, health professionals, communities, technical and financial partners is widely praised. “São Tomé’s example illustrates the strength of partnership. The government, health professionals and communities are working together to ensure sustainable access to vaccines,” notes Dr Antoinette Awaga, head of the transition team for middle-income countries at Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
These advances rest on an accessible health system, regular campaigns, staff training and better information for families. EPI is at the heart of the country’s progress.
“Over the past decades, EPI has been one of the strongest pillars of disease prevention and the promotion of our population’s health. Thanks to collective work with all actors, many lives have been saved and the future of countless children protected,” says Dr Solange Barros, EPI coordinator for São Tomé and Príncipe.
Beyond saving lives, vaccination acts as a lever for development. It reduces healthcare costs, improves school attendance, strengthens family productivity and creates a lasting bond between communities and their health system.
“Here, we don’t come just for a vaccine, we come for the future. Vaccinating my children is an act of love and responsibility,” concludes Jucilène as she leaves the health centre, her baby on her back.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – Sao Tome and Principe.
