Vaccine Funding Gap Leaves Millions at Risk

Children in Poorest Countries Most Likely to Go Without Shots

Oct 23, 2009

Immunization campaigns have made great gains against deadly diseases. But a new study warns that millions of children in the developing world are being left behind.

Immunization is one of the most successful and cost-effective health interventions ever devised. Worldwide, vaccination prevents at least 2.5 million child deaths each year from diphtheria, tetanus, measles, and other infectious diseases. And more infants are being immunized today than ever before.

A Rich-Poor Divide

But life-saving vaccines are still not reaching an estimated 24 million children, according to a new study by the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the World Bank. The State of the World’s Vaccines and Immunization, released in October 2009, calls on the international community to close a vaccine funding gap that leaves the neediest children unprotected.

Most of these unvaccinated children live in the poorest nations and communities. Dr. Margaret Chan, director-general of the World Health Organization, says, “We must overcome the divide that separates rich from poor—between those who get life-saving vaccines, and those who don’t.”

An additional US$1 billion per year will be needed to ensure that vaccines are delivered to all children in the 72 poorest countries, the report estimates.

Vaccination Successes and Shortfalls

Immunization campaigns have led to impressive achievements, according to the World Health Organization:

But some vaccination campaigns have fallen short. In 2008, for example, 106 million infants under one year of age received three doses of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine. But an estimated 24 million children were missed. About three-quarters of these children live in ten poor countries: Chad, China, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Uganda.

Vaccine Cost an Obstacle

At least 120 vaccines are available, and more are in development. Over the last few years scientists have created new vaccines for meningitis, rotavirus diarrhea, pneumococcal disease, and human papillomavirus. Another 80 are in clinical testing, including vaccines for stubborn killers such as dengue and malaria.

A range of economic and logistical obstacles must be overcome in order to bring existing and new vaccines to millions of unprotected children. The cost of vaccines is an issue; some of the newer ones are particularly expensive. Another problem is the cost and difficulty of proper vaccine storage and delivery in countries with shaky health infrastructure.

Financial support from the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) has helped the poorest countries expand immunization. But middle-income countries are not eligible for GAVI assistance, even though many poor children live in these countries. Experts are studying the question of whether GAVI eligibility should be widened.

A “Smart Buy”

Immunization not only saves lives, it prevents disability. According to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, some people who survive serious childhood illness are left disabled, unable to work or attend school. This puts a strain on their families and on the economies of developing countries.

Because they help keep people healthy and productive, vaccines are “a very smart buy,” according to Dr. Fred Were, chairman of the Kenya Paediatric Association. If vaccine-preventable diseases could be reduced, overburdened health providers in poor nations would have more resources and time to focus on other urgent health issues.

The copyright of the article Vaccine Funding Gap Leaves Millions at Risk in Poverty/World Development is owned by Cathy Sunshine. Permission to republish Vaccine Funding Gap Leaves Millions at Risk in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.