North Macedonia
We worked to increase demand and uptake of COVID-19 vaccinations among priority populations in North Macedonia using social and behavior change approaches.
MOMENTUM is partnering with nearly 40 countries to accelerate progress and advance USAID’s work to save lives and improve health outcomes for women, children, families, and communities in all of their diversity. MOMENTUM brings together specialized technical and country expertise through six distinct yet integrated awards with the depth and breadth of experience to spur reductions in maternal, newborn, and child mortality and morbidity.
From May 2022 to December 2023, MOMENTUM Routine Immunization Transformation and Equity worked with the Government of North Macedonia and local organizations to increase vaccinations against COVID-19 in five municipalities. We also worked with North Macedonian journalists to improve health reporting in the country.
Vaccinating North Macedonians Against COVID-19
There are several reasons for low vaccination rates in North Macedonia, including vaccine hesitancy, mis- and disinformation about vaccines, mistrust of the health system, and concerns about vaccine safety. In response, MOMENTUM Routine Immunization Transformation and Equity developed a capacity-building course for health providers to strengthen their skills in recommending and providing COVID-19 vaccinations and effectively responding to questions from their patients.
MOMENTUM also worked closely with stakeholders, including the Ministry of Health, the Institute for Public Health, the National Committee for Immunization, the Educational Center for Family Medicine, UNICEF, and WHO. The project aimed to increase demand and acceptance for COVID-19 vaccines, including using social and behavior change strategies to identify and encourage behaviors that increase vaccinations among priority populations.
MOMENTUM will apply learnings from these activities to its work across Europe and Eurasia.
Partnering With Journalists to Improve Health Reporting
MOMENTUM partnered with Internews to train North Macedonian journalists on evidence-based health reporting. MOMENTUM developed a comprehensive e-learning course, translated into several regional languages, to facilitate learning and provide storytelling guidance for reporting on routine vaccinations and COVID-19 vaccines.
MOMENTUM Routine Immunization Transformation and Equity: North Macedonia Ministry of Health; Internews; Institute for Public Health in Skopje; National Committee for Immunization; Medical Faculty in Skopje; Educational Center for Family Medicine
Interested in partnering with us or learning more about our work in North Macedonia? Contact us here or check out our Europe, Eurasia, and the Middle East Regional Brief.
Learn more about USAID’s work in North Macedonia.
Last updated February 2024.