A team of researchers modeled the equity impact of lives saved and medical impoverishment averted from immunization over the period 2016-30 in 41 low and middle income countries (DHS survey availability determined which countries were selected for inclusion). Of our 15 LNCT member countries, data from Armenia, Ghana, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Timor-Leste were included in the analysis. This analysis, which was published in Health Affairs in February, 2017, found that:
- The poor would gain the most from immunization programs, both in terms of health gains and economic impact. One fourth of the 36 million future deaths averted by immunization would occur in the poorest 20% of the population.
- Measles containing vaccines account for 61% of the 36 million future deaths averted.
- Immunization would help prevent 24 million people from falling into poverty from medical impoverishment. Hepatitis B vaccine averted the largest number of medical impoverishment cases (14 million), followed by measles (5 million) and Meningitis A (3 million).
These results could be useful to immunization managers and policymakers in making the case that immunization programs have an important poverty impact, both in terms of averting a disproportionate number of deaths amongst the poorest and most vulnerable in society, and in averting future cases of poverty from medical impoverishment.
Access to the study here.