In June 2025, MCD Global Health received a 13-month, $900,000 grant from Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance to increase vaccination coverage for children in 15 priority districts in Madagascar.

The project will focus on zero-dose and under-vaccinated children in hard-to-reach and vulnerable communities within the country. The goals are to protect children left unprotected against deadly diseases, like measles, polio, and pneumonia, and help unlock the stagnating vaccination coverage in the country this past decade.

“We are honored to receive this funding from Gavi to improve children’s access to life-saving vaccines. Our team plans to mobilize community, raise awareness, strengthen vaccination support networks, and extend services to underserved populations through innovative approaches while involving civil society organizations (CSOs) and community actors to drive implementation,” said Joséa Ratsirarson, Ph.D., deputy director of MCD’s International Programs.

By working with local CSOs and Madagascar’s Ministry of Public Health, MCD will:

• Strengthen the health workforce, including community health workers (CHWs) and health facilities, by improving compliance with the country’s vaccination guidelines, and
• Implement approaches with CHWs to improve how they find unvaccinated and under-vaccinated children, follow up, refer them for vaccines, and trigger community awareness and buy-ins for sustainable vaccination service utilization.

It’s estimated that by the end of the project, 23,000 of these children, representing 54% of zero-dose and under-vaccinated children in the priority communities, will receive necessary vaccines; thus, improving their overall health and well-being.