Can implementation research be a game changer for measles elimination in Africa?

Many countries in Africa still experience large and disruptive measles outbreaks despite the availability of a highly effective vaccine. In 2023, the estimated number of measles cases and deaths in the World Health Organization African Region was 4,801,946 cases and 75,942 deaths, respectively. Studies have shown that multiple implementation challenges affect equitable access and uptake of measles-containing vaccines, with specific barriers varying by settings. Implementation research, which emerged in response to know-do gaps in health systems, has several tools that can be used to gain a thorough understanding of the barriers to measles vaccination and how to address them using appropriate implementation strategies. In this commentary, we discuss why investment in implementation research for measles elimination is a programmatic imperative for countries in the WHO African Region.