Lobukulu Lolimo, GeneseKhonde, RodrigueMatondo, HerveKabele, JuniasYannick, K. MusawuBeshah, Senait AlemayehuAchala, Daniel MalikNjeri Muriithi, GraceAdote, Elizabeth Naa AdukweiZegeye, Elias AsfawMbachu, Chinyere Ojiugo;Ataguba, John Ele-OjoYaya Bocoum, Fadima Inna KaminaManitu, Serge Mayaka2026-04-022026-04-022026-02-17Lobukulu Lolimo, G., Khonde, R., Matondo, H., Kabele, J., Musawu, K Y., Beshah, S.A., Achala, D.M., Njeri Muriithi, G., Adote, E.N.A., Zegeye, E.A., Mbachu, C.O., Ataguba, J.E.-O., Yaya Bocoum, F.I.K. & Manitu, S.M. (2026) Reasons for hesitancy and acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination among the Congolese population: a scoping review. Frontiers in Health Services 5:1647147: 1-9. doi: 10.3389/frhs.2025.1647147.2813-0146 (online)10.3389/frhs.2025.1647147http://hdl.handle.net/2263/109420DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT : The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article/Supplementary Material; further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.INTRODUCTION : Despite over 9.6 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses administered globally, vaccination access remains highly unequal. North America and Western Europe have over 50% vaccination coverage, contrasting sharply with African nations, like the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which has under 10%. This scoping review explores the key factors contributing to the low COVID-19 vaccination rate in the Congolese population. METHODS : We conducted a scoping review using the Arksey and O'Malley framework, searching PubMed, ProQuest, and Scopus databases for peer-reviewed manuscripts published between 2019 and 2023. Six studies met the inclusion criteria, and focused on the factors of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance, hesitancy, and access in the DRC. RESULTS : Although surveys indicated a high willingness on the part of the people to get vaccinated, only 2.7% of the population were fully vaccinated. The primary barrier to vaccination was safety concerns, specifically, perceptions of the vaccine as new and experimental (84.4%) and fear of side effects (83.3%). Additional hesitancy factors included mistrust in vaccine effectiveness (60.4%) and a general lack of confidence (60.0%). Facilitators of acceptance included prior family vaccination, perceived risk of infection, belief in the existence of the virus, and awareness of vaccination strategies. Sociodemographic factors such as being a healthcare professional or male also positively influenced uptake. DISCUSSION : These findings highlight the gap between vaccine willingness and actual coverage in the DRC. Addressing safety concerns and building trust through targeted outreach, especially among key professional groups, may improve vaccine acceptance and equity.en© 2026 Lobukulu Lolimo, Khonde, Matondo, Kabele, Musawu K, Beshah, Achala, Njeri Muriithi, Adote, Zegeye, Mbachu, Ataguba, Yaya Bocoum and Manitu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY).AcceptanceHesitancyCoronavirus disease (COVID-19)COVID-19 vaccinesDemocratic Republic of Congo (DRC)Scoping reviewArticle