Cameroon faces a high burden of Malaria, with 7.3 million cases and 11,600 deaths in 2023. Malaria vaccine, RTS S/AS01(50% efficacy) was approved for use in Cameroon in January 2024. Misinformation on vaccines and hesitancy, especially amplified in the post-COVID pandemic-era, threatens adoption of the newly rolled out malaria-vaccine. To understand community perceptions and information dynamics, we leveraged local professional healthcare worker (HCW) networks. Four virtual focus groups (N=40) explored malaria vaccine-related community health priorities, knowledge gaps, barriers, and facilitators. Additionally, 60 HCWs completed 12 weekly surveys to track circulating rumors, questions/ concerns, and uptake challenges.
Focus groups revealed uneven rollout, limited HCW training, and widespread community concerns about efficacy, safety, and side effects, amplified by rumors of sterility, experimental use, and parallels to COVID-19 vaccine misinformation. Survey data showed 75% of communities use social media for health information, while 73% trust HCWs for treatment-specific guidance. At baseline, 62% of HCWs reported limited community awareness of malaria vaccine. Over weeks 1–3, side effects (70%), safety (44–77%), and efficacy (50–70%) were leading concerns, with 70% reporting persistent misinformation. Acceptance was higher in districts with higher malaria prevalence and more effective communication. Face-to-face dialogue, trusted HCWs, and localized media were identified as the most effective counters.
These findings demonstrate that targeted HCW engagement, culturally tailored communication, and proactive misinformation monitoring are essential to sustain vaccination uptake and guide future rollout strategies for high-burden settings.
Cameroon faces a high burden of Malaria, with 7.3 million cases and 11,600 deaths in 2023. Malaria vaccine, RTS S/AS01(50% efficacy) was approved for use in Cameroon in January 2024. Misinformation on vaccines and hesitancy, especially amplified in the post-COVID pandemic-era, threatens adoption of the newly rolled out malaria-vaccine. To understand community perceptions and information dynamics, we leveraged local professional healthcare worker (HCW) networks. Four virtual focus groups (N=40) explored malaria vaccine-related community health priorities, knowledge gaps, barriers, and facilitators. Additionally, 60 HCWs completed 12 weekly surveys to track circulating rumors, questions/ concerns, and uptake challenges.
Focus groups revealed uneven rollout, limited HCW training, and widespread community concerns about efficacy, safety, and side effects, amplified by rumors of sterility, experimental use, and parallels to COVID-19 vaccine misinformation. Survey data showed 75% of communities use social media for health information, while 73% trust HCWs for treatment-specific guidance. At baseline, 62% of HCWs reported limited community awareness of malaria vaccine. Over weeks 1–3, side effects (70%), safety (44–77%), and efficacy (50–70%) were leading concerns, with 70% reporting persistent misinformation. Acceptance was higher in districts with higher malaria prevalence and more effective communication. Face-to-face dialogue, trusted HCWs, and localized media were identified as the most effective counters.
These findings demonstrate that targeted HCW engagement, culturally tailored communication, and proactive misinformation monitoring are essential to sustain vaccination uptake and guide future rollout strateg ...
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