Need, demand, and feasibility for a new iNTS vaccine: stakeholder insights from eight African countries

This study, grounded in the key stakeholders' perspectives, highlights the critical and immediate need for the development of a new iNTS vaccine. An online survey was conducted among government officials and healthcare providers across eight African countries: Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, and Nigeria. The framework was built on Spring Boot and Java 8, enabling access via personal computers or mobile phones. A total of 74 out of 84 participants completed the survey. Over 50% indicated that iNTS is both a prevalent and serious disease in their respective countries. The majority (n = 70, 94.6%) identified antibiotics as the most effective treatment for iNTS disease, while 55 (67.6%) participants chose vaccination as the preferred preventive option. Respondents ranked the iNTS vaccine third. Notably, 75.7% (n = 56) emphasized the urgent need for an iNTS vaccine. Barriers to vaccine introduction were identified as insufficient funding (n = 61, 81.4%), limited awareness (n = 49, 79.7%), and challenges related to community acceptance (n = 49, 79.7%). The stakeholders' perspectives highlight an urgent need for iNTS vaccine development. Accelerated and focused efforts are essential to address the reported pressing challenges and to pursue innovative and promising pathways for advancing iNTS vaccine development.