In light of Immunization Week in May, Business Fights Poverty released a new report, Advancing vaccination equity: stopping the spread of vaccine-preventable disease among people experiencing poverty and social exclusion.
The report is relevant to our community for three main reasons:
- Outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases like measles, polio and diphtheria are rising in every region, including Europe – threatening lives and livelihoods.
- Large pockets of under-vaccinated groups in Europe tend to be those living in states of vulnerability, be it due to poverty, migration status or belonging to a particular religious or racial group.
- Under vaccination threatens herd immunity and defeats other public health goals, including Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan. It also leaves us all more vulnerable to the rise in antibiotic resistance and future unknown health threats.
The report recommends action to achieve greater vaccination equity in three key areas; improved data collection by social determinants, better access (including via community pharmacies and mobile clinics) and more trust being built through co-created community solutions.