Introducing new vaccines in developing countries

Abstract

Vaccines offer the most cost-effective approach to controlling infectious diseases. Access to vaccines remains unequal and suboptimal, particularly in poorer developing countries. Introduction of new vaccines and long-term sustainability of immunization programs will require proactive planning from conception to implementation. International and national coordination efforts as well as local and cultural factors need to be known and accounted for. Adequate infrastructure should be in place for the monitoring of disease burden, vaccine effectiveness and vaccine safety, based on the common terminology and international consensus. This overview paper aims to raise awareness of the importance of introduction efforts for vaccines of special relevance to resource-poor countries. The target audiences are those involved in immunization programs, from planning or oversight roles to frontline providers, as well as health care professionals.

Keywords::

• AEFI
• developing countries
• immunization
• vaccines
• vaccine introduction
• vaccine safety

Acknowledgement

Photographer of picture used in Figure 1 Petra Ruzickova, Médecins Sans Frontières.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This work has been conducted as part of a pro bono collaboration by the Vienna Vaccine Safety Initiative Think Tank (www.vi-vi.org). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Notes