On 10 June 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) in Zambia with the kind support of the Gavi Alliance donated 700 data collection electronic devices and related accessories worth One Hundred and Twenty Two Thousand, Two Hundred and Ninety US Dollars (US$122,290) to the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Department of the Ministry of Health (MoH) to support the efficient and effective real-time data collection, monitoring and evaluation of the COVID-19 vaccination process and related information.

Dr Nathan Bakyaita, WHO Country Representative, said, “We acknowledge the many challenges that the Ministry is facing, especially in the real-time data collection and tracking of COVID-19 related information, and specifically during the COVID-19 vaccination exercise. Our appreciation also goes to Gavi who has been a valuable partner to WHO and the Government of Zambia supporting the National Immunisation program and keeping Zambians safe from vaccine preventable diseases such as diarrhoea, measles, polio, cholera, and COVID-19. WHO in Zambia will continue to work with partners, like the Gavi Alliance to bridge gaps and provide better interventions, including the provision of necessary tools, so that all critical information is captured for a continued better response and management of the COVID-19 pandemic.” 

Hon Sylvia Masebo, Minister of Health, said, “The donation is timely and will used for the intended purpose. We are grateful to the WHO Zambia, as through your office, we continue to get support for various interventions. As a ministry we know that the figures we report are not complete due to the many challenges that our workers face in data collection. These tablets will help us manage the COVID-19 data, bridge the gap in data backlog and allow for our foot soldiers to efficiently enter and manage COVID-19 and related information.” 
For Zambia to attain the target of 70 percent of the population fully vaccinated against COVID-19, there is need for accurate and up-to-date data collection, capture and management.

Zambia now stands at over three million persons fully vaccinated giving an average of about 37 per cent of the population fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The tablets will make it easier for health personnel to capture and share data related to COVID-19 vaccination in Zambia.

The Gavi Alliance has been WHO’s number six top contributor globally with a contribution of more than USD 432m in 2020/21 and is moreover, along with Germany the number one top contributor to WHO Zambia. Gavi is also one of the co-leads of COVAX, an alliance that aims to accelerate the development and manufacture of COVID-19 vaccines, and to guarantee fair and equitable access for every country in the world.