(Monrovia, Liberia, August 18, 2026)—The Ministry of Health (MOH) is taking routine childhood vaccination services beyond traditional clinic hours and into markets and major transport hubs as part of a new strategy to close immunization gaps among children in densely populated communities across Montserrado County.
Through the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), the Ministry is preparing to roll out the Urban Immunization Strategy (UIS) for 2026–2027, targeting communities where low vaccination coverage, high dropout rates and the growing number of zero-dose and under-immunized children have become a concern.
The strategy will initially focus exclusively on Montserrado County because of funding constraints, allowing the Ministry and its partners to concentrate resources on areas with some of the most significant urban immunization challenges.
Under the initiative, selected health facilities will extend vaccination services until 9 p.m., with services running from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. to accommodate caregivers who cannot visit health facilities during normal working hours.
Weekend vaccination sessions will also be introduced, while major participating hospitals are expected to provide 24-hour vaccination services for newborns, emergency cases and families requiring immunization outside regular clinic schedules.
The move comes as rapid urbanization, overcrowding, population mobility and demanding work schedules make it increasingly difficult for some caregivers to access routine immunization services.
Rather than relying solely on health facilities, the Ministry plans to establish vaccination posts in major markets and deploy mobile vaccination teams at strategic transport points.
The approach is intended to bring vaccination closer to populations such as market women, commuters and families living in underserved communities.
Health workers and Community Health Assistants will also intensify defaulter tracing, identifying children who have missed scheduled doses and following up with families to ensure that children complete their vaccination schedules.
The first phase of the strategy will cover 20 health facilities across Montserrado County, eight hospitals, seven health centers and five clinics.
Facilities were selected based on low immunization coverage, high dropout rates, the presence of zero-dose children and their location within densely populated urban communities.
The proposed sites include JFK Hospital, St. Joseph Catholic Hospital, SD Cooper Hospital, SOS Health Center and Sonniewein Clinic in Central Monrovia.
In the Somalia Drive area, the strategy lists JDJ Hospital, Gardnersville Health Center, New Georgia Health Center and Babra Ann Health Center.
The Bushrod area will include Redemption Hospital, Clara Town Health Center, Star of the Sea Health Center and Bushrod Island Clinic, while proposed sites in the Commonwealth area include Benson Hospital, J and J Hospital, ELWA Hospital, Duport Road Health Center, Pipe Line Clinic, Agnes Varie Clinic and Omega Market Clinic.
The plan also links several vaccination sites to major markets and transport points, including Rally Town, Jokpen Town, Fiamah, Old Road, Jacob Town, Redemption Day, Battery Factory, Dualla, Waterside, Tweh Farm, Clara Town, Duport Road, Red Light, Omega, Gogbarchop, VOA and Central Paynesville markets.
The Ministry will recruit additional vaccinators and provide specialized training on urban immunization and outreach approaches as part of the strategy.
It will also strengthen vaccine supply systems and cold-chain logistics to ensure that vaccines remain available and potent at facilities and outreach locations operating beyond conventional health-facility settings.
The initiative will be led by the National Expanded Programme on Immunization in collaboration with the Montserrado County Health Team, district health teams, participating health facilities, civil society organizations, UNICEF, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and other development partners.
The strategy represents a shift toward making vaccination services more accessible to families rather than expecting caregivers to overcome the barriers that prevent them from reaching health facilities.
Since the establishment of the Expanded Programme on Immunization in 1974, Liberia has expanded access to vaccines against a range of vaccine-preventable diseases. However, the emergence of urban immunization gaps has created a new challenge for the health system.
The strategy is therefore intended to reduce the number of children who receive no vaccines or fail to complete their vaccination schedules, while ensuring that children in rapidly growing urban communities have equitable access to life-saving immunization services.