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Adamu AA, Jalo RI, Muhammad ID, Essoh TA, Ndwandwe D, Wiysonge CS. Sustainable financing for vaccination towards advancing universal health coverage in the WHO African region: The strategic role of national health insurance. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2024; 20:2320505. [PMID: 38414114 PMCID: PMC10903629 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2024.2320505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
There is a growing political interest in health reforms in Africa, and many countries are choosing national health insurance as their main financing mechanism for universal health coverage. Although vaccination is an essential health service that can influence progress toward universal health coverage, it is not often prioritized by these national health insurance systems. This paper highlights the potential gains of integrating vaccination into the package of health services that is provided through national health insurance and recommends practical policy actions that can enable countries to harness these benefits at population level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdu A. Adamu
- Cochrane South Africa, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Rabiu I. Jalo
- Department of Community Medicine, Bayero University/Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria
| | - Ibrahim D. Muhammad
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria
| | - Téné-Alima Essoh
- Agence de Médecine Préventive, Regional Office for Africa, Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire
| | - Duduzile Ndwandwe
- Cochrane South Africa, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Charles S. Wiysonge
- Cochrane South Africa, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
- Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Programme, World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo
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Huang A, Xu X, Tang L, Huang L, Li J, Zhang X, Liu J, Zhou Y, Zhang B, Wang L, Zhang Q, Zhou Z, Wang Y, Wang X, Liu Q, Liu S, Yin Z, Wang F. Acceptance and willingness to pay for DTaP-HBV-IPV-Hib hexavalent vaccine among parents: A cross-sectional survey in China. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2024; 20:2333098. [PMID: 38619056 PMCID: PMC11020590 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2024.2333098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
DTaP-HBV-IPV-Hib hexavalent vaccine has been used in high-income countries for many years to prevent diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, poliomyelitis, and invasive Haemophilus influenzae type b disease. Currently, no hexavalent vaccines have been approved for use in China. Evidence of parental acceptance and interest in hexavalent vaccines can help policy makers and manufacturers make decisions about entering the vaccine market and the immunization program in China. We measured parental acceptance and willingness-to-pay (WTP) for a hexavalent vaccine to provide such evidence. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of children's caregivers in 16 vaccination clinics in seven cities in China and obtained information on socio-demographics, knowledge of disease, confidence in vaccines, previous vaccination experience, and acceptance of and WTP for hexavalent vaccine. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine factors influencing acceptance, and multivariate tobit regression was used to identify factors impacting WTP. Between April 28 and June 30, 2023, a total of 581 parents of children aged 0-6 years participated in the survey; 435 (74.87%, 95% CI:71.3%-78.4%) parents indicated acceptance of hexavalent vaccine. Residence location, parents' education level, experience paying for vaccination, and disease knowledge scores were key factors affecting parents' choices for vaccination. Mean (SD) and median (IQR) willingness to pay for full 4-dose course vaccination were 2266.66 (1177.1) CNY and 2400 (1600-2800) CNY. Children's age (p < .001), parents' education level (p = .024), and perceived price barriers (p < .001) were significantly associated with WTP. Parents have high acceptance and willingness to pay for hexavalent vaccine. The less money parents have to pay out of pocket, the more willing they can be to accept the vaccine. Therefore, acceptance may increase even further if the vaccine is covered by medical insurance, provided free of charge by the government, or if its price is reduced. Our results provide reference for optimizing and adjusting immunization strategies in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aodi Huang
- National Immunization Program, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Xia Xu
- National Immunization Program, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Tang
- National Immunization Program, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Lifang Huang
- Department of National Immunization Programe, Fujian Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jun Li
- Department of National Immunization Programe, Henan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xue Zhang
- National Immunization Program, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Jiajie Liu
- Department of National Immunization Programe, Sichuan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu, China
| | - Yang Zhou
- Department of National Immunization Programe, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bingling Zhang
- Department of National Immunization Programe, Gansu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Lanzhou, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of National Immunization Programe, Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuhan, China
| | - Qian Zhang
- National Immunization Program, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Zemei Zhou
- National Immunization Program, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Wang
- National Immunization Program, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoqi Wang
- National Immunization Program, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Qianqian Liu
- National Immunization Program, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Siyu Liu
- National Immunization Program, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Zundong Yin
- National Immunization Program, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Fuzhen Wang
- National Immunization Program, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
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Viphonephom P, Kounnavong S, Reinharz D. Decentralization and immunization program in a single-party state: the case of the Lao People's Democratic Republic. Trop Med Health 2024; 52:35. [PMID: 38715093 PMCID: PMC11075326 DOI: 10.1186/s41182-024-00601-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), a lower-middle-income country, lags behind other Southeast Asian countries in immunization coverage for children under two years of age. The organization of health services is a key determinant of the functionality of immunization programs. However, this aspect, and in particular its decentralization component of the healthcare system, has never been studied. METHODS A case study in the Lao National Immunization Program was performed using a neo-institutional theory-based conceptual framework, highlighting the structure (rules, laws, resources, etc.) and interpretative schemes (dominant beliefs and ideas) that underlie the state of decentralization of the healthcare system that support the conduct of the immunization program. Twenty-two semi-structured interviews were conducted with representative actors from various government levels, external donors, and civil society, in four provinces. Data were complemented with information retrieved from relevant documents. RESULTS The Lao healthcare system has a deconcentrated form of decentralization. It has a largely centralized structure, albeit with certain measures promoting the decentralization of its immunization programs. The structure underlying the state of centralization of immunization services provided is coherent with a shared dominant interpretive scheme. However, the rapid economic, technical, and educational changes affecting the country suggest that the coherence between structure and interpretative schemes is bound to change. CONCLUSION Unprecedented opportunities to access quality higher education and the use of social networks are factors in Lao PDR that could affect the distribution of responsibilities of the different levels of government for public health programs such as the National Immunization Program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phonevilay Viphonephom
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada.
| | - Sengchanh Kounnavong
- Lao Tropical and Public Health Institute (Lao TPHI), Ministry of Health, Vientiane, Lao PDR
| | - Daniel Reinharz
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
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Tediosi F, Villa S, Levison D, Ekeman E, Politi C. Leveraging global investments for polio eradication to strengthen health systems' resilience through transition. Health Policy Plan 2024; 39:i93-i106. [PMID: 38253450 DOI: 10.1093/heapol/czad093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Since the launch of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1988, more than US$20 billion has been invested globally in polio eradication. The World Health Organization and its partners are currently supporting Member States to transition the functions used to eradicate polio to strengthen their health systems. This study analyses global polio activities through the lens of health systems and the Common Goods for Health (CGH). Polio activities include key health system functions such as surveillance and response systems and immunization, which are essential to maintaining resilient health systems. They also support essential functions such as policy development, planning, training and capacity building, which are often underfunded in many countries. To improve overall resilience, it is critical to continue to integrate these functions into local health systems so that the capacity built through the polio eradication programme can be used for broader public health purposes. It is vital that this integration process be tailored to each country's unique health system context, rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach. While integration of all polio activities into local health systems is ideal, the transition to domestic financing may be coordinated with other global health financing mechanisms. This would reduce funding fragmentation and transaction costs, and allow for a focus on health system functions as a whole rather than just disease-specific efforts. The transition to domestic financing of polio activities could be staggered, prioritizing the transition to domestic funding for activities with limited global externalities, while seeking longer-term external funding for those that are global CGH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizio Tediosi
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Kreuzstrasse 2, Allschwil 4123, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, P. O. Box 4001, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Simone Villa
- Centre for Multidisciplinary Research in Health Science (MACH), University of Milan, Via Festa del Perdono, 7, Milano, 20122, Italy
| | - Darcy Levison
- Polio Transition Programme, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ebru Ekeman
- Polio Transition Programme, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Claudio Politi
- Polio Transition Programme, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
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Adamu AA, Essoh TA, Jalo RI, Wiysonge CS. Toward political economy of sustainable financing for immunization in the World Health Organization African Region through a systems thinking lens. Int J Infect Dis 2023; 136:158-161. [PMID: 37774773 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2023.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023] Open
Abstract
There is an urgent need for countries in Africa to allocate more domestic financial resources to immunization so that national immunization programmes can attain self-reliance in line with World Health Organization's Immunization Agenda 2030. However, resource allocation is fundamentally a political process because other competing needs exist. Political economy analysis (PEA) can guide policy influencers in their engagement with decision makers to tilt their interest in support of sustainable immunization financing. PEA can provide a deeper understanding of the potential constraints and facilitators of a policy direction to expand the fiscal space for immunization using domestic resources within the context of a country's socioeconomic and political realities. To further advance the usefulness of PEA for decision making, a systems thinking lens should be applied to account for the inherent complexity of the social systems involved in resource allocation and implementation. Several methods and tools of systems thinking already exist and can be employed. Causal loop diagrams, when incorporated in a PEA of sustainable financing for immunization can aid the identification of feedback loops which can be used as leverage points for intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdu A Adamu
- Cochrane South Africa, South African Medical Research Council, Francie van Zijl Drive, Parow Valley, 7505, Tygerberg, Cape Town, South Africa; Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Francie van Zijl Drive, Parow Valley, 7505, Tygerberg, Cape Town, South Africa.
| | - Téné-Alima Essoh
- Agence de Médecine Préventive, Bureau Regional Afrique, 08 BP 660, Cocody II, Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire
| | - Rabiu I Jalo
- Department of Community Medicine, Bayero University/Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Along Zaria Road, Kano City, Kano, Nigeria
| | - Charles S Wiysonge
- Cochrane South Africa, South African Medical Research Council, Francie van Zijl Drive, Parow Valley, 7505, Tygerberg, Cape Town, South Africa; Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Francie van Zijl Drive, Parow Valley, 7505, Tygerberg, Cape Town, South Africa; Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases Cluster, World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Djoue, BP 06, Brazzaville, Congo
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Amaechi UA, Nnaji CA, WIysonge CS. Immunisation Agenda 2030: prioritising sustainable immunisation financing. Lancet 2023; 402:1325. [PMID: 37838431 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(23)01167-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Uchenna A Amaechi
- Evaluation and Learning Unit, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, Geneva 1218, Switzerland.
| | - Chukwudi A Nnaji
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Technical Division, Malaria Consortium, London, UK; Cochrane South Africa, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Charles S WIysonge
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Cochrane South Africa, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa; Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
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Factors Affecting Vaccine Attitudes Influenced by the COVID-19 Pandemic. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:vaccines11030516. [PMID: 36992100 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11030516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of vaccines has significantly contributed to the success of disease prevention. However, there has been a sharp decline in immunization rates since COVID-19 spread globally. Seemingly overnight, the world shut down and most non-essential medical procedures were postponed. Since the COVID-19 vaccine became available, and the world started going back to normal these vaccine rates have not recovered. In this paper, we review the published literature to explore how convenience factors, perceived risk of vaccination, media or anti-vaccination ideals/movements, and healthcare professionals affect an individual’s compliance to be vaccinated to better understand the factors that contribute to the change in overall vaccination rates.
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