Previous lectures can be found on the Archived Lecture Page.

Immunisation – a public health issue
By Judith Moreton

Profile of Lecturer
Download Powerpoint version of this lecture

Click on the images to enlarge slides.

Slide 1 - Title Slide Immunisation is the single most cost-effective form of medical intervention. It is a positive health benefit in the protection of individual children, their families and communities. World-wide immunisation, together with improvements in hygiene and sanitation has revolutionised child health. Immunisation for older people has reduced the incidence of diseases such as influenza and improved their quality of life. Millions of deaths are prevented every year as well as reducing the risk of disability caused by infectious diseases.

Slide 2 - Aims and objectives of immunisation programmes By immunising specific groups of the population, e.g. children and the elderly, serious infectious diseases and their complications can be prevented, contained, eliminated or for certain diseases eradicated from the world. Prevention of serious diseases. When enough people are immunised against a disease, the few who are not immunised, e.g. genuine medical reasons are protected because the transmission of a disease is interrupted. This is known as herd immunity. The exception to this is tetanus, which is a disease of the individual. Containment of disease can be achieved, e.g. in local outbreaks of hepatitis A. By immunising contacts, the spread of the disease is effectively halted. Elimination of disease can be achieved for some diseases e.g. tetanus. Tetanus is a disease of the individual and is caught from tetanus spores in the ground. Because it cannot be transmitted from person to person, everyone has to individually be protected. This has been achieved in the UK and tetanus is now rare. Eradication world-wide is the ultimate goal for certain diseases. Smallpox has been successfully eradicated since 1980. The next target disease for eradication is polio. The World Health Organization (WHO) has a global initiative to eradicate polio by 2005, and with just 10 countries remaining which still have cases of polio, this is achievable.

Slide 3 - World situation WHO-Expanded Programme on Immunization was launched in 1974, since when millions of cases of disease and deaths have been prevented. There are 6 targeted diseases that all the world’s children should be protected from - diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, measles and tuberculosis. Global vaccine coverage has been 70% throughout the 1990s, but varies between and within countries Uptake has increased in some developing countries, but dropped elsewhere But by 2000 approximately 37 million children still did not receive routine immunisation in their first year of life. Inequity to immunisation services: More evident in some of the least-developed countries Low political commitment and under investment in some countries may not keep pace with: population growth higher costs of service delivery R&D may not address the needs of the world’s poorest children so: they are typically at greater risk from these diseases they have access to a smaller range of vaccines Lack of commercial incentives for manufacturers to develop new vaccines e.g. HIV/Aids, TB and malaria Some countries may not be able to guarantee vaccine quality and safety so: greater risk of poor immunisation practices children’s lives being put at unnecessary risk But WHO, UNICEF and other UN agencies are working together with national governments, industry, development agencies and professional organisations to address these issues and ensure immunisation safely and properly protects the worlds’ children. Reference: State of the World’s Vaccines and Immunization (2002) World Health Organization, Geneva.

1 2 3 4 next>>

Back toTop