WHO/Europe methodology identifies causes of low vaccination uptake to help protect health for all
Извор: WUNRN – 10.12.2019
Under-vaccination can lead to outbreaks of dangerous vaccine-preventable diseases. A new WHO/Europe document provides expanded guidance for identifying reasons for why some people are not vaccinated and tailoring interventions to remove the barriers they face. The aim is that everyone has equitable access to the health protection offered by vaccines.
Kyrgyzstan, a country reporting high vaccination coverage, has faced over 2000 measles cases this year so far.
This paradox is seen in many countries: if some population groups have low vaccination uptake, they are vulnerable to the spread of measles once the virus enters their community.
“The situation in Kyrgyzstan confirms that simply having high national vaccination rates isn’t enough,” explains Katrine Bach Habersaat from WHO/Europe. “Population groups with low vaccination uptake need to be considered, and their specific barriers to vaccination need to be understood and addressed. In the case of Kyrgyzstan, this is related to people migrating from rural to urban areas in pursuit of employment and income.”
In Kyrgyzstan, research conducted using the WHO Tailoring Immunization Programmes (TIP) approach helped health authorities to identify one of the root causes of the outbreak – an overlooked legislative barrier faced by people migrating from rural to urban areas in search of employment – and to take appropriate action to get vaccines to those who needed them most.
