UNICEF is harnessing the power of WorldPop’s high-resolution population data to close immunization gaps and reach children who have never received a single vaccine, commonly known as zero-dose children.
As part of the Reach the Unreached initiative, WorldPop collaborated with UNICEF as well as CartONG and MapAction to generate detailed, geospatial estimates of under-immunized populations. These estimates feed into interactive dashboards and maps that guide vaccine campaigns, helping decision-makers identify where to act.
In just a few years, this data-driven approach has helped map over 1.4 million under-immunized children across West and Central Africa and directly contributed to vaccinating over 95,000 zero-dose children who might otherwise have been missed.
WorldPop’s tools are also central to microplanning, the process of creating tailored, local-level health delivery plans. Alongside datasets from GRID3 and Meta, WorldPop data helps benchmark these plans and ensure vaccines, healthcare workers, and funding are allocated efficiently.
UNICEF teams in countries like Guinea, Mali, Chad, Cameroon, and Côte d’Ivoire are already using these tools to improve targeting and resource allocation, with over 120 health officials trained in geospatial data methods.
As highlighted in UNICEF’s ICTD 2024 Annual Report, this approach is now considered a strategic priority, with plans underway to expand geospatial support to even more countries. Tools like the Geo-enabled Microplanning Digital Adaptation Kit will help standardise and scale this innovative method.
By making the invisible visible, WorldPop’s data is helping UNICEF reach the children who need vaccines the most, and ensuring no child is left behind due to poor data or planning.
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