Transparency and Equity in the COVID 19 Vaccine Distribution: A Preliminary Assessment of Citizens Experiences

The Government of Zambia under the Ministry of Health plans to vaccinate an eligible population of 8.4
million people representing 46% of the population of Zambia as a preventative measure to curb the
further spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 4,569,202 doses of the approved vaccines: Oxford /Astra
Zeneca Covishield, Jansen (Johnson and Johnson), AZD 1222 5- Korean AstraZeneca, and Pfitzer Biotech);
have been received in the country as of November 31st 2021.
Transparency International Zambia (TI-Z) under their COVID-19 programme conducted a vulnerability and
equity assessment in seven (7) districts namely: Chipata, Choma, Livingstone, Lusaka, Kazungula, Katete
and Petauke to understand the extent of corruption and inequity in the country’s vaccine campaign.
Transparency International Zambia (TI-Z) is a local chapter of the global movement Transparency
International (TI), which is dedicated to the fight against corruption and the promotion of transparency,
integrity, accountability and generally good governance. Although TI-Z abides by the guiding principles of
TI globally, it has adopted its own vision, mission and core values to guide its operations. In the last 20
years of its operation in Zambia, TI-Z has contributed to Zambia’s good governance through promotion of
integrity, transparency and accountability in the country’s governance structures and processes at
different levels. This experience has enabled TI-Z to establish itself as Zambia’s leading civil society voice
in the fight against corruption and the promotion of accountability, transparency and other aspects of
good governance.
The assessment offers an appreciation of the citizens’ experience in acquisition of the COVID-19 vaccines
in relation to equity and transparency and access to information on the COVID-19 vaccines. From the
findings, some of the challenges in the vaccine uptake have been highlighted to be people not wanting
the vaccines at 58.71%, whereas 36.52% people indicated that they were not able to receive the COVID19 vaccines. Generally, the assessment findings indicate more than half of the respondents unwilling to
be vaccinated against the COVID-19 due to perceived risk of the vaccines at 22.71%, with 14.25%
indicating indifference whether they want to take the vaccine or not and 8.49% plainly refusing without
providing a reason. This demonstrates a lack of access to information on the COVID-19 vaccines from the
public to ensure confidence and trust in the COVID-19 vaccines. There is a demonstrated level of lack of
understanding on the advantages and disadvantages of the COVID-19 vaccines thus fueling the myths and
the perceived risks associated therefore.
TI-Z therefore recommends that Government through the Ministry of Health put in measures to intensify
monitoring of the vaccine campaign to ensure that vaccines are reaching the intended beneficiaries to
ensure equity and capture the most vulnerable such as the differently abled, refugees, people in the
remote areas and displaced people. As TI-Z, we also recommend that the information contained in the
COVID-19 vaccines daily situational reports be disaggregated according to gender, geographical location,
vulnerability status to ensure equity and transparency in the COVID-19 vaccines. TI-Z also recommends
that information be packaged according to the different socio-status of the public, education levels and
geographical areas to ensure full uptake of the vaccines and reduce the COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy.