UNICEF using machine learning to enhance vaccine delivery in Africa

UNICEF has announced the implementation of machine learning technologies to enhance immunisation programs across Central and West Africa.

This initiative was launched on Wednesday as part of the “Reach the Unreached” (RTU) pilot program in countries such as Cameroon, Chad, Guinea, and Mali.

Harnessing technology for immunisation

The RTU initiative leverages machine learning to analyse population data and estimate vaccination coverage more accurately. This approach has enabled regional and country office teams to map over 1.1 million unreached children, providing valuable insights to identify regions at risk of falling behind.

According to Rocco Panciera, UNICEF’s geospatial health specialist, “While the proliferation of granular population estimates and vaccination coverage datasets is beneficial and possibly game-changing, these new sources of information will only make an impact for improving health programming and health outcomes if they’re integrated into existing information systems and decision-making processes at the country level”.

Manuel Garcia-Herranz, FDN’s principal researcher, noted that without technology, experts lack insights into how data bias and algorithmic inequalities affect combined population estimation and vaccination coverage models. “Even for single models, understanding performance across different socioeconomic contexts is challenging,” Garcia-Herranz said.

Collaborative efforts for improved vaccination coverage

The RTU initiative is a collaborative effort between UNICEF and the Frontier Data Network (FDN). This partnership aims to address child rights inequities, starting with immunisation and birth registration.

By harnessing the power of machine learning and collaborative partnerships, UNICEF seeks to improve immunisation coverage and reduce vaccine-preventable diseases across Africa.

The organisation collaborates with governments, businesses, and non-governmental organisations to engage communities, procure and distribute vaccines, and facilitate affordable access to vaccination services.

UNICEF’s broader efforts include strengthening immunisation systems and reaching marginalised communities. Each year, approximately 6 million of the 20 million children born in West and Central Africa miss out on life-saving vaccines during their first year of life, often referred to as ‘zero-dose children’.