The Big Catch-up

Stephanie Shendale
Published: 2024-04-25 | Updated: 2025-11-21

Launched in April 2023, the Big Catch-up is a global initiative to close immunization gaps caused by the backsliding of immunization coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic, restore global immunization levels, and strengthen immunization systems so that catch-up activities become an integral part of immunization programmes. This page brings together Big Catch-up documents including guidance, frequently asked questions (FAQs), and monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) forms and tools.

Catch-up guidance and tools

TitleAuthorYearTypeLanguage
Administering Catch-Up VaccinationsImmunization Academy2022TrainingEnglish, French
Big Catch-up : Case Study Guidance and Sample Tools for Monitoring and LearningIA2030 Partnership2024ToolEnglish, French
Big Catch-Up (BCU) The Real-Time Monitoring (RTM) Readiness Checklist UNICEF2025ToolEnglish
Big Catch-Up Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance2024GuidanceEnglish, French
Big Catch-up Information Pack for Regional and Country TeamsWorld Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance2024GuidanceEnglish, French
Catch-Up Institutionalization Assessment ToolIA2030 Partnership2025ToolEnglish
How to Record and Report Catch-Up VaccinationsImmunization Academy2022TrainingEnglish, French
Leave no one behind: guidance for planning and implementing catch-up vaccinationWorld Health Organization (WHO)2020GuidanceEnglish, Portuguese, French
Managing Multiple InjectionsImmunization Academy2022TrainingEnglish, French
Monitoring and reporting of essential immunization catch-up in the context of the Big Catch-UpIA2030 Partnership2024GuidanceArabic, English, Portuguese, French
Rapid Convenience Monitoring - Monitoring un- and under-immunized communities - August 2026 Update World Health Organization (WHO)2025GuidanceEnglish

Reports and briefs

TitleAuthorYearTypeLanguage
Catching up in crisis: implementation of the big Catch-Up initiative in Yemen within a context of fragile routine immunization systemsSheikh Abdulhafed Al-Shoteri, Alyssa Sharkey, Abdulla Salem Bin Ghouth, Iman Ali Mahmoud Ba-Saddik, Maysa Saeed AlNoban, Ali Ahmed Alwaleedi, Suha Abdullah Saleh, Nayf Radman Hamdan Akil2026Journal articleEnglish
Implementing the Big Catch-Up to close immunization gaps and adjust systems for restoring vaccination coverage: lessons from five countriesWorld Health Organization, The Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research2026ReportEnglish
Real-Time Monitoring Beyond the Big Catch-UpUNICEF, World Health Organization (WHO), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, HealthEnabled2025ReportEnglish, French
The Big Catch-up: Case study of immunization activities in Bauchi and Rivers States, NigeriaBrooks Insights, Health Policy and Research Group2026Case studyEnglish
The Big Catch-up: Case study of immunization activities in CameroonEvidence for Sustainable Human Development Systems in Africa (EVIHDAF)2026Case studyEnglish
The Big Catch-up: Case study of immunization activities in Punjab and Sindh, Pakistan Center for Economic Research (CERP), Rayn Consulting Group2026Case studyEnglish
The Big Catch-up: Case study of immunization activities in TanzaniaFausta Michael, Mariam M. Mirambo, Mbonea Mbwambo, Victor Mtaki, Farhat S. Salaeh, Harrison D. Mariki, Domenica Morona, Stephen E. Mshana2026Case studyEnglish
The Big Catch-up: Case study of immunization activities in YemenBuilding Foundation for Development, University of Aden, University of Hadramout, Higher Institute of Health Sciences2026Case studyEnglish
Validating Progress Towards Closing Immunity Gaps in South Sudan - Rapid Convenience Monitoring: Findings and Priority ActionsWorld Health Organization (WHO), South Sudan Ministry of Health2026ReportEnglish

Quarterly Monitoring Form for countries receiving Gavi support

TitleAuthorYearTypeLanguage
Big Catch-up Monitoring Form and Guidance (for countries receiving Gavi support)Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance2024ToolEnglish, French

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