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Best In Science

Increasing Vaccine Access to Children Worldwide

In low-income countries around the world, CDC has made significant contributions in introducing and administering Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine. The vaccine protects susceptible populations from Hib disease, one of the leading causes of severe childhood pneumonia and meningitis.

Hib disease is the estimated cause of three million cases of meningitis and severe pneumonia and is responsible for approximately 400,000 deaths worldwide per year in children five years of age and younger. Safe and effective Hib vaccines have been widely used in industrialized countries for nearly 20 years, but they have been relatively unavailable in the world’s poorest countries.

In 2000, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) initiated a project that provided financial support for purchasing and providing the Hib vaccine in 72 of the world’s poorest countries. From 2004–2008, the proportion of these countries using or approved to use Hib vaccine increased from 17% to 56% thanks to a focused, collaborative effort by the GAVI, the World Health Organization, and CDC. This number is projected to increase to 81% in 2009, supporting and sustaining CDC’s efforts to promote Healthy People in Every Stage of Life.

In 2004, 6.8 million children born in one of the 72 GAVI-eligible countries had access to the Hib vaccine. In 2007, 14 million of the 79 million children had vaccine access, and by the end of 2008, 43 million children are expected to have access. Several factors fostered increased interest and use of the Hib vaccine in the GAVI-eligible countries:

• Greater awareness of the amount and severity of disease caused by Hib.
• Greater encouragement by the World Health Organization that the Hib vaccine be included in routine immunization programs in all countries.
• Greater effort by GAVI to make the vaccine more affordable and accessible to the world’s most susceptible populations.

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