Protecting every generation in Seychelles through vaccines

Victoria-On a typical morning Norma Michaud-Payet, a nurse at English River health centre in Victoria, Seychelles' capital, prepares for the day's immunization session. She checks the cold chain temperature log, reviews the appointment schedule and arranges immunization leaflets on her desk. When the first parent arrives with an infant, she greets him warmly by name.

"I have known many of these families for years," says Michaud-Payet, gently cradling Islah Aglae, a four-month-old girl, as she prepares the measles-rubella vaccine. "They trust us to help protect their children and we take that responsibility seriously."

The relationship between health facilities and communities is at the heart of how Seychelles recently reached a landmark in public health. In November 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) certified Seychelles as having eliminated the childhood diseases of measles and rubella, making it one of the first three sub-Sahara African countries to reach this milestone, alongside Cabo Verde and Mauritius.

Working alongside the Ministry of Health, WHO has provided technical support throughout this journey, helping to strengthen the diseases surveillance system, build laboratory capacity for case confirmation and maintain immunization standards in line with global best practice.

"This didn't happen overnight," says Myra Laurette, immunization programme officer at the Ministry of Health. "It is the result of decades of investment in our health system, training our health workers and building community confidence."

The last measles outbreak in Seychelles was contained in 2020 and no rubella cases have been confirmed since 2016. For years, the country's disease surveillance system has detected and ruled out suspected cases while maintaining over 95% vaccination coverage for both diseases since the early 2000s, the threshold needed to interrupt disease transmission.

Behind the numbers are health workers who know their communities well.

"Sometimes parents have questions, especially new parents," says Michaud-Payet. "We sit with them, we listen, we explain. We want them to feel confident in their decision to vaccinate. When they see their child grow up healthy, protected from diseases their own parents worried about, that trust grows stronger."

Routine childhood immunization in Seychelles is delivered at health centres and hospitals, supplemented by targeted outreach campaigns to reach children who miss scheduled doses. Nurses track children from birth and send reminders when doses are due.

For parents like Steve Aglae, bringing children for vaccination is simply what responsible caregivers do.

"I want my children to be healthy and protected," he says, holding his daughter. "I trust our health workers. They have always been there for us, explaining everything clearly and answering all our questions."

Seychelles is one of Africa's most tourism-dependent economies. Thousands of visitors arrive each year, which means the risk of imported disease cases is ever-present. High vaccination coverage is what ensures that when an imported case arrives, it does not find fertile ground in the community.

To sustain measles-and-rubella-free status, Seychelles has been strengthening screenings at points of entry, tracking every suspected case and responding rapidly to any imported case. Between July 2025 and March 2026, a national vaccination campaign was conducted across the country, targeting migrant workers-who make up one-third of Seychelles' workforce-and other residents, including in workplaces and remote islands.

"Every child we vaccinate strengthens our community's protection," says Laurette. "That's what people need to understand. Vaccination isn't just an individual choice, it's how we protect each other."

The commitment extends beyond the health centre.

"Seychelles is not only protecting its own people but inspiring the region as an example of what routine immunization can achieve," says Dr Rex Mpazanje, WHO Representative in Seychelles. "WHO remains committed to supporting Seychelles in ensuring the gains of the past decades endure for the generations that follow."

Back at the health centre, Aglae tucks his daughter's updated immunization card into his bag and puts the baby back in her stroller, ready to leave.

"Knowing that measles and rubella are eliminated here gives me peace of mind as a father," he says. "But I will still bring her for all her vaccines. That's how we keep it this way."