Advancing sustainable development goals through immunization: a literature review

Abstract

Background Immunization directly impacts health (SDG3) and brings a contribution to 14 out of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as ending poverty, reducing hunger, and reducing inequalities. Therefore, immunization is recognized to play a central role in reaching the SDGs, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Despite continuous interventions to strengthen immunization systems and to adequately respond to emergency immunization during epidemics, the immunization-related indicators for SDG3 lag behind in sub-Saharan Africa. Especially taking into account the current Covid19 pandemic, the current performance on the connected SDGs is both a cause and a result of this. Methods We conduct a literature review through a keyword search strategy complemented with handpicking and snowballing from earlier reviews. After title and abstract screening, we conducted a qualitative analysis of key insights and categorized them according to showing the impact of immunization on SDGs, sustainability challenges, and model-based solutions to these challenges. Results We reveal the leveraging mechanisms triggered by immunization and position them vis-à-vis the SDGs, within the framework of Public Health and Planetary Health. Several challenges for sustainable control of vaccine-preventable diseases are identified: access to immunization services, global vaccine availability to LMICs, context-dependent vaccine effectiveness, safe and affordable vaccines, local/regional vaccine production, public-private partnerships, and immunization capacity/capability building. Model-based approaches that support SDG-promoting interventions concerning immunization systems are analyzed in light of the strategic priorities of the Immunization Agenda 2030. Conclusions In general terms, it can be concluded that relevant future research requires (i) design for system resilience, (ii) transdisciplinary modeling, (iii) connecting interventions in immunization with SDG outcomes, (iv) designing interventions and their implementation simultaneously, (v) offering tailored solutions, and (vi) model coordination and integration of services and partnerships. The research and health community is called upon to join forces to activate existing knowledge, generate new insights and develop decision-supporting tools for Low-and Middle-Income Countries’ health authorities and communities to leverage immunization in its transformational role toward successfully meeting the SDGs in 2030.

Vaccines, Politics and Mandates: Can We See the Forest for the Trees? Comment on "Convergence on Coercion: Functional and Political Pressures as Drivers of Global Childhood Vaccine Mandates"

“…1 Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada. 2 Direction des Risques Biologiques et de la Santé au Travail, Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec, Québec, QC, Canada.…”

“…1 Immunization is of such importance to health and wellbeing that it is well entrenched in the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and contributes to 14 of the 17 goals. 2 However, despite the clear and incontrovertible evidence of the laudable effect of vaccines on childhood morbidity and mortality, universal acceptance has remained elusive, even in high income countries like the United States where there is growing evidence over the past two decades of vaccine refusal, vaccine mistrust and vaccine hesitancy (eg, ambivalence towards vaccine that can result in delayed vaccination or vaccine refusal) undermining uptake. 3 Vaccine hesitancy is such a serious concern, that in 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) listed vaccine hesitancy as one of the 10 major threats to global health: a problem in high-middle-and low-income countries (https://www.who.…”

The implications of globalization on COVID-19 vaccination in Europe

“…Although countries located in the South of the world have been less affected by the COVID-19 pandemic 18 , regional cooperation is essential to overcome its economic and health effects, forcing nations to cooperate in the health sector 19 , by aligning national and global policies, strengthening disease surveillance, developing production chains and international trade, encouraging the elaboration of necessary equipment and medicines 20 . There are also explanations for linking population immunization and Sustainable Development Goals for a number of African countries 21 , where the vaccination of the population plays a key role in achieving these goals, although vaccination indicators are low despite ongoing international interventions and aid 22 . At the same time, after the identification of Delta (B1617.2) variant in India and its rapid transmission globally, in the first part of the year 2021, which put strong pressure on health systems, the number of vaccinations was constantly increasing, with a relative reduction in the summer of 2021 23 .…”

Multi-dose vials versus single-dose vials for vaccination: perspectives from lower-middle income countries

“…Vaccination is considered as the most cost-effective public health intervention in reducing morbidity and mortality from various diseases by providing direct protection to the vaccinated individuals and indirect protection through herd immunity to the unvaccinated individuals. 1 , 2 Immunization is an essential prerequisite to achieve the sustainable development goal 3 to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all ages by saving lives, promoting global health security, and inhibiting antimicrobial resistance. 3 It is estimated that vaccination of ten high burden pathogens is likely to avert 69 million deaths between 2000 and 2030 in 98 lower-middle-income countries (LMICs).…”

“… 1 , 2 Immunization is an essential prerequisite to achieve the sustainable development goal 3 to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all ages by saving lives, promoting global health security, and inhibiting antimicrobial resistance. 3 It is estimated that vaccination of ten high burden pathogens is likely to avert 69 million deaths between 2000 and 2030 in 98 lower-middle-income countries (LMICs). 4 …”