Q: Why does ensuring people all over the world have access to vaccines matter? Are there ways we can help ensure global vaccine access?
A: Vaccine access is a global issue that saves lives and reduces the spread of pathogens worldwide. We can contribute by advocating for funding global vaccine initiatives and supporting organizations dedicated to addressing vaccine equity.
Global vaccine equity means ensuring that people all over the world have equal access to lifesaving vaccines. The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that pathogens do not respect borders, and vaccines can reduce global deaths from preventable illness. To protect ourselves, we need to ensure that people in other countries are also protected.
How much of a problem is vaccine equity?
Lack of access to vaccines is a major global issue. An estimated 1.5 million children, most under five, die every year from vaccine preventable diseases. This comes out to one death every twenty seconds. In 2023, about 14.5 million children had not received any vaccine at all and 6.5 million were only partially vaccinated. The majority of these children live in low and middle income countries which is why 99% of deaths due to vaccine preventable illness occur in these locations.
These deaths are driven by disparities in vaccine access. For example, global coverage for Haemophilus influenzae type b is about 77%, but only 33% in the World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific region. In high income countries, about 79% of people have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine, compared to about 33% in low income countries.
The WHO recently declared mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, a public health emergency of international concern. This was due to a significant outbreak in certain African countries. There are three vaccines that may be effective against mpox, but the Democratic Republic of Congo and other African countries are only now receiving them. The current increase in mpox cases might have been prevented with earlier vaccine access.
Global discrepancies in access to vaccines also exist for many other diseases such as measles, pneumonia, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and polio. This results in preventable deaths and long term health impacts on children and people of all ages.
Why do these disparities exist?
There are many reasons for these disparities that vary based on country. In many countries though, these vaccine disparities have deep roots in colonialism.
For example, in African countries, centuries of slavery, colonialism, and ongoing exploitation have drained the continent of its wealth and of its capacity to build essential systems like healthcare and education. While African countries have made strides toward vaccine production and administration, well-thought-out, transnational collaborations to increase access to vaccines are essential.
Examples of other contributing factors include lack of infrastructure to manufacture vaccines, unreliable vaccines suppliers, high cost of vaccines and political instability and conflict.
Supporting global vaccine equity could be viewed as one small step towards reparative justice for centuries of still ongoing resource extraction and exploitation. To learn more about the role of reparations in public health go here and here.
The goal of global vaccine equity efforts is to support countries in developing and maintaining their own vaccination programs long term. This requires an initial investment from governments worldwide. Organizations like UNICEF and the Global Vaccine Alliance (GAVI) receive these funds and use them to address vaccine equity in alignment with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs focus on 17 different areas, with the objective of improving society over time by supporting countries in their development efforts. Vaccine access directly contributes to 14 of these goals and is key to sustainable development.
What can we do to support efforts towards vaccine equity?
We should advocate for the importance of vaccination within our own borders, as disparities and hesitancy still exist here. But we must also focus on global vaccine access to improve health outcomes everywhere.
Every fall, Shot@Life, a UN Foundation initiative focused on education, advocacy, and partnerships to promote global vaccine equity, hosts the Mobilize to Immunize campaign. This campaign rallies supporters to advocate for global vaccination and encourages individuals and communities to take action in support of vaccine access worldwide. They offer training to help those in the United States with their advocacy and provide many advocacy resources. I have become a Shot@Life champion to better advocate for this issue, and below I share resources to help you contribute as well.
For those in the United States:
- Sign the Shot@Life petition: You can sign the petition here and it will get sent to Congress to let them know you support funding the global immunization programs.
- Contact your representatives directly: Reach out to your elected officials and urge them to support funding global immunization programs. If you live in the United States you can find your elected representatives through this link. You can email, call or even request a meeting with their offices. Below is a sample script and Shot@Life provides resources for those who want to request a meeting.
Dear [Elected Official],
My name is [NAME]. I am a constituent who lives in [LOCATION]. I am [INSERT OTHER RELEVANT INFO ABOUT YOU].
I am [WRITING/CALLING] today in support of continued U.S. investment in global vaccination programs. Lack of vaccine access is a major global issue. An estimated 1.5 million children, most of whom are under five, die every year from vaccine preventable diseases. This is one preventable death every twenty seconds.
Please support full funding for global vaccine efforts in 2025, including:
- $356 million for CDC Global Immunization Division
- $165 million for USAID polio eradication efforts
- $340 million for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance
- $175 million for UNICEF
- $134.6 million for WHO (assessed contributions)
For every $1 spent on immunizations, the world sees more than $50 in economic benefits. These investments also protect people worldwide and enhance global security by reducing the likelihood of disease spread. Thank you.
Sincerely,
[Name]
[Address]
For those in Canada:
Sign the ONE vaccine petition: Add your name here to support government investment in global vaccination efforts.
Results Canada: A nonprofit advocacy group focused on supporting global immunization and other international issues. Find out more on their website here.
For those in the UK:
Results UK: A nonprofit advocacy group focused on supporting global immunization and other international issues. Find out more here.
For those anywhere in the world:
Donate to organizations tackling this issue: Consider donating to GAVI, The Global Vaccine Alliance, Doctors Without Borders, and UNICEF or other organizations working to address global health and vaccine access. Even small donations can make a difference.
Raise awareness in your communities: Get the word out about the importance of global vaccine equity by sharing with your friends and family in person, through writing letters to local newspapers or through online social media posts.
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that national borders are irrelevant when it comes to pathogens and public health. To make everyone healthier and safer we must adopt a global view on public health and vaccination. Addressing these issues before they reach a crisis level is beneficial for everyone.
Stay nerdy, and help everyone stay safe!
