Mauritania and Senegal this month became the first low-income countries (LICs) to introduce the new hexavalent vaccine with support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
The hexavalent vaccine is a six-in-one shot that protects children from diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough (pertussis), hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib), and polio.
It replaces the five-in-one pentavalent vaccine and the separate polio injection, combining them into one, which means fewer injections for children and fewer visits to health centres for families.
For Uganda, where many families live far from health facilities and sometimes struggle to complete the full immunisation schedule, it is a significant. With fewer jabs and visits, children are more likely to get fully vaccinated.
The vaccine also uses a whole-cell version of the whooping cough component, which is more effective in countries like Uganda where the risk of disease is higher and access to follow-up care may be limited.
For years, high-income countries have used this vaccine, but it was out of reach for many African nations due to high costs.
Gavi has worked with manufacturers to reduce prices and open access for countries like Uganda. If introduced in Uganda, the hexavalent vaccine would not only improve child health but also save resources for the health system—less spending on storage, transport, and manpower, and a reduced chance of errors in administration.
Importantly, it could also help build public trust. Fewer jabs mean less pain for children, fewer side effects, and possibly less fear or resistance from caregivers.
Health workers will also have a lighter workload, especially in busy rural clinics.While Uganda hasn’t rolled out the hexavalent vaccine yet, this move in West Africa is a strong sign of several possibilities; when it does, it could be a game-changer in improving childhood immunisation and reducing preventable illnesses across the country.