Luanda: Angola will increase its national vaccination coverage to 90% by 2030 and decrease to less than 5% the number of children with zero doses, as well as eliminate neonatal tetanus, the Minister of Health, Slvia Lutucuta said Thursday in Luanda.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the Minister added that the country also intends to rid itself of wild poliovirus and achieve the measles elimination targets. Slvia Lutucuta, who was speaking during the 2nd Ordinary Meeting of the Interagency Coordination Committee (CCI) that approved the National Immunization Strategy (ENI) 2026-2030, said that there is an intention to strengthen the cold chain, human resources, and sustainable financing of the program and improve epidemiological surveillance and outbreak response.
While presenting the National Innovation Strategy 2026-2030, the Minister of Health, Slvia Lutucuta, who chaired the meeting, highlighted that the document was developed in a participatory manner, integrating contributions from national experts and international partners. The Minister highlighted that the launch of the strategy takes place in a historic year, in which Angola celebrated 50 years of Independence, highlighting that the milestone symbolizes 'the State's commitment to public health and sustainable human development.'
On the other hand, Slvia Lutucuta presented the status of the National Vaccination Campaign against cervical cancer, launched on October 27, 2025, in the province of Namibe, which aims to immunize more than 2.2 million girls from 9 to 12 years of age. Regarding the campaign, she considered the initiative of the First Lady of the Republic, Ana Dias Louren§o, as 'a historic milestone for public health in Angola.'
During the meeting, the status of vaccination against polio was also analyzed, especially in the provinces of Cuando, Cubango, Hula, and Cuanza-Sul, where cases of the type 2 variant of the virus were detected. To this end, the minister announced the reinforcement of routine vaccination with the Inactivated vaccine (IPV) and the carrying out of rapid response campaigns, ensuring that the Executive will remain committed to keeping Angola free from the circulation of wild poliovirus.
She said that partners such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF praised the plan, considered it comprehensive and coherent, and reaffirmed their support in strengthening the health system and protecting future generations. In closing, the minister stressed that the success of ENI 2026-2030 will depend on inter-sectoral cooperation, community involvement, and resource mobilization.
'Protecting every Angolan child is a shared responsibility and an investment in the country's future,' she argued. ENI 2026-2030 establishes priorities, goals, and lines of action to strengthen the Expanded Vaccination Program (PAV), consolidating the Executive's commitment to public health and the protection of Angolan children.
