Health and Development
Vaccines are available, but are they used? Although there are effective vaccines against many life-threatening diseases, there are great differences in coverage across many middle- and low-income countries.
Although there are effective vaccines against many life-threatening diseases, there are great differences in coverage across many middle- and low-income countries. This research programme addresses the question: Why are some countries and communities therein far more successful than others in immunizing children, despite unfavourable economic circumstances?
There are broad variations in uptake of, and demand for, vaccines at the community and individual level. There are also variations in countries’ demand for new vaccines. The reasons behind these variations are only sketchily understood. The major focus of research until now has been on the quality of supply and availability, often neglecting the demand side.
Health and Development focuses on interfaces between demand and supply and seeks to go beyond the technical aspects of vaccine delivery, to include the role of social, economic and political factors. This is to be conducted through the SUM MEDIC project.
A central aim of SUM MEDIC is to develop a methodology for identifying and addressing drivers and barriers to coverage, taking into account the social, political and economic context of the immunization system.
Projects
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SUM MEDIC - Multi-disciplinary approach to Explaining Differential Immunization Coverage
A central aim of SUM MEDIC is to develop a methodology for identifying and addressing drivers and barriers to coverage, taking into account the social, political and economic context of the immunization system.