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Vaccines in Developing Countries: Victory in Vaccination

Vaccines in Developing CountriesThe World Health Organization’s (WHO) “World Immunization Week 2025” lasted from April 24 to April 30, celebrating the 154 million lives vaccines have saved over the past 50 years. Governments and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have united in the mission to end preventable diseases and their efforts have already eradicated smallpox and nearly eradicated polio. Building on this momentum, several countries have successfully rolled out immunization campaigns in the past year alone. Here are four vaccines in developing countries that inspire hope for a healthier future.

Malaria Vaccine in Sudan

The Federal Ministry of Health (Sudan), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), WHO and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance partnered in November 2024 to distribute the first malaria vaccines in Sudan. Indeed, the country is the first in the WHO’s East Mediterranean region to introduce a vaccine for the disease.

Sudan has one of the highest rates of malaria infection in the region, with more than 1.3 million cases in 2023, of which 22.3% were children. Ongoing conflict has caused vaccination coverage to fall to 30% in active-conflict zones. However, the campaign distributed the vaccines to 15 health facilities and 148,000 children. The number of facilities will rise to 129 throughout 2025 and 2026.

Ebola Vaccine in Sierra Leone

Alongside Liberia and Guinea, Sierra Leone was one of the three countries most affected by the 2014 West Africa Ebola virus outbreak. However, it is the first of the three to introduce a nationwide preventive vaccine for the disease. The campaign began in December 2024 and administered the vaccine to 20,000 health care workers across 16 districts.

Health care workers carry a high risk of infection when treating the Ebola virus. Sierra Leone lost 7% of its health care workforce to the disease during the 2014 outbreak. The campaign follows a series of immunization successes in the country. It has also reached 90% diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine coverage since 2001 and 100% human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine coverage as of September 2024. Sierra Leone shows that vaccines in developing countries can achieve and sustain results.

Vaccine Education in Trinidad and Tobago

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) led a two-day workshop for 79 school nurses in Trinidad and Tobago that covered how to talk to patients about vaccines and correct misconceptions. The country is emphasizing HPV vaccination, which can prevent 70% of cases of cervical cancer, for children 9–14 years old.

In Trinidad and Tobago, there are an estimated 202 women diagnosed with cervical cancer and 127 die from it every year. The nurses found the sessions informative and now have strategies to communicate the safety of vaccines to their patients. This signals a productive future for vaccines in developing countries.

Vaccines in Conflict-Affected Areas of Cameroon

In 2024, the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Services (CBCHS) partnered with UNICEF to bring vaccines to conflict-affected northwest and southwest Cameroon areas. Non-State Armed Groups initially prevented the health care workers from entering the regions. However, Ful Morine Fuen of CBCHS persuaded them, saying they could not “kill diseases like malaria, diarrhea, etc. with a gun” but with vaccination.

The workers targeted displaced families, assessing the vaccination status of children aged 6 months to 5 years. They referred children needing vaccines to local facilities or administered vaccines through mobile clinics. Twelve families were hesitant about vaccination, but 11 of them agreed to it after workers discussed the benefits. In total, 473 children received the necessary vaccines.

Looking Ahead

Vaccines in developing countries have helped thousands of people in the past year. The continued efforts of local governments and international health organizations will stop the spread of preventable diseases. They will save even more lives by World Immunization Week 2026.

– Tyler Payne

Tyler is based in Allentown, PA, USA and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Changing Lives: Vaccinations in Timor-Leste

Vaccinations in Timor-LesteEast Timor, also known as Timor-Leste, shares its island with Indonesia in Southeast Asia. Despite possessing substantial oil and gas reserves, the European Commission classifies it as a Least Developed Country due to insufficient infrastructure and frequent food insecurity. The majority of Timor-Leste’s population relies on small-scale agriculture in rural areas, complicating vaccination efforts due to challenges in reaching these communities. Nevertheless, the country has made significant progress in immunizing its population against common, once-life-threatening diseases like polio and smallpox.

Challenges to Immunization in Timor-Leste

In East Timor, 75% of the population engages in small-scale farming in rural areas, making vaccination efforts challenging due to the sparse distribution of communities. The lack of robust infrastructure—from transportation to educational facilities—further complicates immunization initiatives. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted education, affecting 45% of East Timorese children. Moreover, the country’s inadequate infrastructure has left many areas difficult to access, hindering widespread vaccination coverage. Consequently, 8% of children in East Timor are ‘zero dose children,’ meaning they have not received any vaccinations. This issue was intensified by school closures in 2020 during the pandemic.

Vaccination Efforts

The East Timorese government boasts a commendable record of vaccination achievements. In the 1980s, it successfully eradicated smallpox, followed by polio in the 1990s, diseases from which Timor-Leste remains free currently. More recently, the country eliminated measles in 2018 and rubella in 2023. Health care workers, including WHO consultants, have been pivotal in ensuring comprehensive immunization coverage. They often conduct door-to-door visits in communities to administer vaccines directly to children who have not been previously immunized. Many children in Timor-Leste miss vaccinations because community health centers are kilometers away, requiring parents to take time off work—a luxury many cannot afford. This approach effectively reduces the logistical burden on parents and ensures children receive essential life-saving vaccines.

HPV Vaccinations

Timor-Leste introduced the HPV vaccine in July 2024, marking a significant achievement in public health. The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with WHO, UNICEF and other organizations, efficiently managed the vaccine rollout. By the 23rd of Sept., just three weeks into the program, health care workers had vaccinated 90% of the target population of school-aged girls, totaling 56,350 out of the 62,000 targeted. The HPV vaccine is crucial for preventing cervical cancer by protecting against various types of human papillomavirus. In addition to administering the vaccine, health care workers also engaged in community education efforts to emphasize the importance of vaccinations for eradicating cervical cancer in Timor-Leste.

A Bright Future

Timor-Leste has made remarkable progress in vaccination, despite its status as a Least Developed Country struggling with poor infrastructure and connectivity. Effective leadership has enabled widespread immunization, significantly improving the health of the East Timorese people. With continued efforts from the government and support from organizations like WHO and UNICEF, Timor-Leste is well-positioned to enhance the well-being and happiness of its citizens.

– Callum Bennett

Callum is based in Colchester, Essex, UK and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Everything You Need to Know about Health Care in Bangladesh

Health Care in BangladeshAs of March 2024, Bangladesh has committed to transforming into a Smart-Bangladesh High-Income Country by 2041, with health care identified as a key priority in this plan. A collaboration between the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Bangladeshi government has been established to advance health care. As of 2022, Bangladesh had only 13 doctors, nurses and midwives per 10,000 people, compared to the global median of 49. This partnership aims to improve these figures and enhance health care access for millions.

Life Expectancy in Bangladesh

Life expectancy in Bangladesh has increased significantly, from 65.6 years in 2000 to 73.1 years in 2021. This compares favorably to Southeast Asia’s overall life expectancy, which rose by 5.01 years from 63.4 years to 68.4 years in the same period. Bangladesh has improved the accessibility of health care, but there is more to be done.

Smiling Sun Clinics 

Smiling Sun Clinics has been a prominent part of health care in Bangladesh since 1997. It is the world’s largest nongovernmental organization (NGO) network of maternal and child health clinics globally. The NGO Health Services Delivery Project supports the Smiling Sun network, allowing millions of Bangladeshis to access health care. This network is composed of 25 NGOs and 399 clinics that are located in both urban and rural areas.

The services provided include emergency obstetric care and maternity care. More than 10,000 part-time clinics also operate and refer clients to full-time clinics if they believe more care is required. This allows community health workers to offer personal health care to their communities and helps to ensure universal health coverage.

The World Bank and USAID’s Roles in Health Care in Bangladesh

By 2025, one in every 10 people in Bangladesh will be 60 or older and this figure is expected to rise to one in five by 2050. In response, the World Bank organized a workshop in August 2023 to bring together health experts, stakeholders and policymakers. The goal is to foster progress in shaping health care to better address the needs of an aging population in Bangladesh.

Additionally, in August 2023, the World Bank approved $200 million to support primary health care in the country. This pledge benefited the Urban Health, Nutrition and Population Project, which will help 2.5 million children and provide 250,000 pregnant women with at least four antenatal checkups. Furthermore, in 2019, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) programs in Bangladesh provided more than 46 million health service consultations. Technological improvements included developing solutions to detect deadly drug-resistant TB within two hours and digitizing national health information.

UNICEF’s Role

UNICEF’s immunization programs in Bangladesh have reached 3.5 million newborns with the Measles and rubella vaccine (MR1). Additionally, its nutrition interventions have improved the health and growth of countless children. The organization also helps strengthen health care infrastructure and train health workers to enhance service delivery for vulnerable populations.

– Amy Fox

Amy is based in Birmingham, UK and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Widening Access to Vaccines in Mali

Vaccines in MaliAccess to vaccines in Mali has been an issue for many years, with 14% of children having received no vaccinations at all. Ensuring that everyone globally has access to health care, including vaccinations, is essential to downsizing poverty. Furthermore, it is also key to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Target 3. Yet, conflict in the country has limited access to vaccines in Mali. After a military coup in 2012, political instability has impacted access to basic health care, preventing people from getting vaccinated.

Why Are Vaccines Needed?

Infant mortality is a real issue in Mali, with one in 10 children dying before the age of 5. Only 45% of children receive basic vaccines in Mali. This leaves a significant proportion of the population vulnerable to dangerous and life-threatening diseases. This has been worsened by health centers being destroyed or badly damaged in the conflict. Vaccinations can help downsize poverty and so a lack of access to them exacerbates poverty. In Mali, the rate of poverty is at 90%, with much of this concentrated in the rural south. In 2022, 19.1% of the population were in extreme poverty. By increasing access to vaccines in Mali, this can be reduced.

Vaccinations help improve livelihoods by increasing life expectancy, reducing the spread of disease and minimizing infant mortality. It also decreases the possibility that a person will require more expensive health care later in their life if they contract a preventable disease. Many in Mali cannot afford the health care that would be needed to treat diseases such as polio, hepatitis and meningitis, which can all be vaccinated against. Moreover, there is a need, to stall population growth; reducing infant mortality has been proven to reduce the number of children parents are likely to have, therefore halting population growth.

What Has Been Done to Help?

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is working with the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, Gavi and the World Health Organization to increase access to vaccines in Mali. UNICEF, alongside these stated organizations, are creating digital registers of those who have been vaccinated. Hence, there is sufficient information available to medical professionals.

UNICEF is also setting up mobile and accessible services. These are situated in places like markets, schools, mosques and even bus stations so people can easily and receive vaccinations. In 2019 alone, UNICEF vaccinated nearly four million children against measles. Vaccines often require cool temperatures, which is usually difficult as Mali does not always have a reliable source of energy. Hence, UNICEF is using solar-powered refrigerators to make sure vaccines do not go to waste, due to incorrect storage.

Furthermore, in 2022, the United States (U.S.) government invested $95 million to “improve the health and well-being of more than 17 million Malians,” launching the “PROPEL Adapt” scheme that aims to increase access to affordable health care. This is part of a wider goal to achieve health and water security. On a more local level, in Yirimadio, located in the south of Mali, free doctors were sent door to door to offer free health care. This resulted in infant mortality rates falling very dramatically from 154 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2018 to only seven in 2015. This shows that access to free health care and vaccines can greatly benefit people and save many, many lives.

Looking to the Future

Overall, Mali has seen a significant drop in infant mortality rates from 61 per 1,000 live births in 2021 to 56 in 2024. However, there is much more to do to ensure that access to vaccines in Mali is widespread. Investment in health care infrastructure and innovative thinking can transform the lives of the Mali population for the better. Vaccines play a vital role in downsizing poverty and improving the livelihoods of millions.

– Eryn Greenaway

Eryn is based in the UK and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Impact of COVID-19 on Poverty in Slovakia

Impact of COVID-19 on poverty in SlovakiaWhile the COVID-19 pandemic severely exacerbated poverty in Slovakia, further investigation reveals that the damage was not as terrible as it could have been, due to generous monetary assistance and the valuable, effective work of several NGOs. This work has mitigated the impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Slovakia, specifically in the Roma community.

About the Slovak Economy

The Slovak economy was already struggling before the COVID-19 pandemic. In Slovakia’s post-communist era, in which it transitioned to a Western economy, it faced several challenges. Additionally, Slovakia’s adoption of the euro, which unfortunately coincided with the timing of the recession and the euro crisis, further weakened its economy and thus worsened the issue of poverty in the state.

However, funding and monetary assistance from the EU have proven beneficial in providing support to small businesses that the crisis affected. This funding also focused on preserving employment and supporting self-employed individuals. Overall, economic activity in Slovakia is beginning to rebound and recover from the pandemic. This is, in part, due to lockdowns that helped prevent the virus’ spread. Slovakia’s economy, in comparison to other European countries, contracted less severely.

Slovakia’s GDP and Inflation

However, this should not allow for the overlooking of the impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Slovakia, as well as Slovakia’s general economy. Slovakia’s GDP has grown since 2019, but not as quickly as in the quarters recorded before the pandemic. Economists expect inflation to be around 7% in 2022 due to the emergence of new COVID-19 variants, changes in energy prices or wage expectations, and other COVID-related externalities that cause dramatic price increases.

Slovakia’s most important economic sectors are the industrial and automotive industries, meaning that relief aid primarily focused on supporting these two sectors. However, this also means that other sectors, such as the tourism and service industries, did not receive as much relief – and these sectors rely on the work of people in high-risk groups, such as youth workers and members of the Roma community. Slovakia’s poverty rate is approximately 11.4%. It has decreased in recent years, but not as much as it could have if it were not for the pandemic. This is partly because relief aid did not target the most vulnerable economic sectors in which high-risk groups, such as the Roma community, work.

Lockdown Measures and the Slovak Roma Community

While lockdown measures may have benefited Slovakia’s economy, they were controversial in that they targeted vulnerable Roma populations. These lockdown measures sparked accusations of discrimination; the government “sealed” off the minority Roma population in order to stop COVID-19 from spreading even more. Roma people are more susceptible to diseases like COVID-19 because they live in segregated settlements with poverty, overcrowding, limited infrastructure and poor hygiene. Because of this environment, they have a greater susceptibility to infectious diseases.

As the pandemic began to grow in severity, the Slovak government announced its plans to test Roma communities after one Roma man broke a self-quarantine rule. As a result, the government contained 6,000 Roma people in five separate settlements in eastern Slovakia, where they identified the first infections. The government justified this harsh, extreme lockdown by citing specific issues with actually enforcing quarantine in the first place.

Non-governmental organizations and local Roma organizations feared that this would place the Roma people at even greater risk of COVID-19 exposure, infection and spread because the extreme containment measures had jurisdiction over environments and settlements conducive to the spread of infectious disease. Additionally, some argued that these policies were discriminatory because of the great risk they would cause for Roma people. The three main tenets of COVID-19 mitigation advice are wearing a mask, practicing social distancing and washing hands regularly; unfortunately, these are hard to implement and maintain in communities that are crowded and lack access to running water, such as those in which Roma people live.

People in Need Slovakia

Several NGOs saw an opportunity to work with government agencies and prevent higher infection rates for the Roma population (at least when compared with the rest of the Slovak population). In 1999, a group of journalists documenting the war in Kosovo founded People in Need Slovakia, an NGO that is helping the Slovak Roma community survive the pandemic. It has focused on providing emergency aid by handing out masks, disinfectants, soap and jerry cans to supplement water access. It also fundraises and provides emergency food provisions for the poorest Roma families in these settlements. The second phase of its relief plan involves organizing summer schools to compensate for issues in education access – due to school closures and the lack of wifi and laptops necessary for distance learning.

Zdrave Regiony

A second NGO, Zdrave Regiony, has been training health mediators. These mediators are local community members who lack medical qualifications but work with medical professionals as a bridge between community members and medical staff. Specifically, throughout the pandemic, it has liaised with health professionals, assisted in recognizing and tagging COVID-19 symptoms and coordinated testing and vaccination sites in Roma communities where trust in governmental authorities and mandates is low.

Overall, the assistance of these two organizations has led to positive results, as incidences of COVID-19 within the Slovak Roma community are no greater than in the rest of Slovak society. This means that the organizations, in cooperation with local community members and government officials, were able to mitigate the effects of the living conditions that characterize Slovak Roma settlements. Perhaps, this necessary step will open the door to more work and assistance that ensures Roma communities receive better care in times of crisis.

Though there have been many impacts of COVID-19 on poverty in Slovakia and, though the general Slovak economy has certainly suffered as a result of COVID-19, it is encouraging to see that organizations and communities are working together to counter the already-existing effects of poverty and spread of disease, especially for those who are at greater risk.

– Shiloh Harrill
Photo: Flickr

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War Puts HIV-Positive Ukrainians at Risk

HIV-positive UkrainiansThe war in Ukraine disrupted its supply chain of HIV medication and necessary health services. More than 40 health facilities that provided services for HIV treatment and prevention are now closed. What is more, it may not be safe for HIV-positive Ukrainians to leave their shelters to pick up their medications, and even if it is, pharmacies are not guaranteed to have the drugs. People fleeing also do not have adequate amounts of medication. They may have a one-month or two weeks supply, but not enough to sustain them before they have access to more medication. The people in Russian-occupied territories along with those who are unable to relocate to a safe place are currently the most vulnerable.

HIV Medication Explained

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) involves taking a combination of HIV medications daily. Though ARTs are not a cure for HIV, they help prevent transmission and let HIV-positive people live longer healthier lives. ART reduces a person’s viral load, the amount of HIV in a blood sample, to an undetectable level. If a person’s viral load level is undetectable, meaning that a viral load test cannot detect it, then that person cannot transmit HIV to others.

Before the war, approximately 260,000 people were living with AIDS. Of this population, only 58% had access to daily antiretroviral medications. Now, with the war resulting in reduced access to ARTs, UNAIDS reported the possibility of the “resurgence of Ukraine’s AIDS pandemic.”

How PEPFAR Has Been Providing ARTs

HIV-positive Ukrainians are now depending on international support for treatment. The United States President Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) invested $13 million in antiretroviral medications for Ukrainarinas in need. PEPFAR began in 2003 and is the largest commitment by any nation to address one disease. Its funding, which totals more than $100 billion, includes funding for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund). The Global Fund also provided emergency aid for ART medication in Ukraine.

The first wave of medication from PEPFAR delivered 18 million doses of ARTs to the Public Health Center of the Ministry of Health in Ukraine and 100% Life, the “largest organization of people living with HIV in Ukraine” to distribute. This portion of life-saving treatment will cover six months of treatment for HIV-positive Ukrainians, less than that of PEPFAR’s commitment to cover one year, or 51 million doses of ART medication in Ukraine. PEPFAR flew the antiretroviral medications to Poland. From there, trucks transported the medication to medical facilities in Ukraine.

UNAIDS’ Efforts

Civil society organizations are making great efforts to distribute drugs and medical supplies to vulnerable people in locations that are difficult to reach. UNAIDS put forth an initial $200,000 in emergency funds for medical supplies to be distributed in seven cities with large HIV populations: Chernihiv, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Kryvy Rih, Kyiv, Odesa and Poltava. UNAIDS has requested an additional $2.24 million to fund civil service organizations in Ukraine that are providing HIV treatment and refugees in other countries that are experiencing HIV. Civil society organizations that receive support from UNAIDS are helping to get HIV-infected individuals ARTs in the Republic of Moldova and the European Union. In addition, the World Health Organization (WHO) helped push Viiv Healthcare, a pharmaceutical company, to provide HIV medication donations to the Czech Republic, Poland and other countries in the European Union that are hosting Ukrainian refugees.

The war in Ukraine has deepened the threat of HIV deaths for positive Ukrainians. Although foreign aid has played a pivotal role in obtaining and dispersing antiretroviral medications throughout the nation and to Ukrainians abroad, there is still a high demand for ARTs in difficult locations and to continue after the one-year investment from PEPFAR concludes. Ukraine’s Public Health Center created a website with more support for HIV-positive people. The website includes information about where individuals can continue ART therapy and provides information about how to find HIV help. It also provides contacts for Ukrainian refugees with HIV. The need to get medication to HIV-positive Ukrainians is urgent, and the threat of another AIDS pandemic is not over.

– Jordan Oh

Photo: Flickr

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Rebuilding Health Care in Liberia

Health Care in LiberiaLiberia has had a long relationship with poverty, with 50.9% of the population living below the national poverty line in 2016. This figure was predicted to increase in 2021 by The World Bank. Due to the heavy burden of poverty, many children deal with malnutrition. The civil war in Liberia during the 1990s, as well as the Ebola outbreak in 2014, have had significant impacts on overall life, including health care in Liberia.

Malnutrition

Widespread poverty in Liberia has had far-reaching impacts on citizens’ lives. Apart from an inadequate health care infrastructure in Liberia, poverty also directly impacts the health of citizens in the form of malnutrition. The effects of malnutrition are far-reaching, especially for children. An estimated 32% of children younger than the age of 5 suffer stunting due to malnutrition.

Malnutrition also increases the risk of death and infections. Additionally, malnutrition can negatively affect a child’s brain function. The struggle stems from more than just a lack of food, but a lack of funds to afford foods with the proper nutrients. As of 2017, 69% of children under the age of 5 in Liberia are anemic.

Malnutrition has an adverse effect on economic efficiency, human capital and national development, according to USAID. Furthermore, the lack of resources such as clean water and proper sanitation increases the risk of stunting.

Partners in Rebuilding Health Care

The interconnectedness of the world means quick patterns of disease spread, which can lead to global health crises, as with the COVID-19 pandemic. However, impoverished countries, such as Liberia, have fragile health systems that are not well-equipped to properly manage such disease outbreaks.

Partners in Health (PIH) came to the country’s aid back in 2014 when the Ebola outbreak posed a massive threat to West Africans. Partners in Health continued to aid health care in Liberia, by strengthening the pre-existing health care facilities and infrastructure.

The organization’s aid has contributed to positive health impacts in Liberia. For instance, people dying from tuberculosis decreased from 15% to 0% after PIH support began in 2014. Also, mental health patients in Partners in Health supported facilities went up 30%. The organization has also helped train communities on health-promoting practices and provided training to health care professionals as well.

The world is more interconnected than ever, which means that countries are more able to help one another and collaborate to combat global poverty.

– Kelsey Jensen
Photo: Flickr

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The Necessity of Vaccine Diplomacy

Vaccine DiplomacyWhile the COVID-19 vaccine has helped to reduce destruction and devastation from the pandemic, the virus is still spreading across the globe. According to Dr. Peter Hotez “organized hostility against the scientific community,” may be public health’s biggest enemy. However, on a global scale, the most serious threat is the lack of vaccine diplomacy and effective health care in geopolitics. Solving this crisis requires the United States and other western countries to prioritize the distribution of pandemic response resources so that everyone can lead healthy, safe lives regardless of their location.

Inequities of Vaccine Resources

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the global death rate by 20%, shut down economies and dismantled health care systems across the world. Despite the fact that the COVID-19 vaccine is now readily available in many developed countries, many low-income countries remain highly unvaccinated while the United States eases pandemic funding. With monkeypox cases on the rise, the fight against global health crises has hit a major roadblock, as low-income countries are scrambling for vaccine resources amid slowing economies.

Developed countries have a humanitarian responsibility to ensure that low-income countries have access to the healthcare resources that North American and European countries have. Additionally, novel variants of COVID-19 often arise from unvaccinated populations, which means that the pandemic will only worsen unless we make a concerted effort to fully vaccinate developing and low-income countries, according to Dr. Hotez.

Making a Commitment to Vaccine Diplomacy

Today, less than 20% of people in low-income countries have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The next step is for the United States and other world leaders to provide more resources to help get shots into people’s arms in developing countries. According to The Borgen Project’s action center, “This essential funding will go towards vaccines, tests, last-mile efforts and treatment so we can continue vaccinating the rest of the world, save lives and prevent new variants from emerging.” It’s an important investment that will not only save the lives of people in the most vulnerable places across the globe but will also help to protect the well-being of Americans.

Overall, vaccine diplomacy is also necessary to conquer vaccine skepticism, which is keeping millions of people from getting vaccinated. In order to effectively fight against the worsening global health crisis of COVID-19 and monkeypox, the United States and other economic powerhouses should prioritize geopolitical cooperation with developing countries to collaborate on equitably distributing vaccine resources.

– Ella DeVries
Photo: Flickr

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7 Key Points from the USGLC Global Impact Forum 2022

USGLC Global Impact ForumOn June 13, 2022, the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition’s (USGLC) Global Impact Forum took place. The USGLC Global Impact Forum 2022 entailed conversations with leading stakeholders and policymakers surrounding the role of the U.S. in the global sphere.

7 Key Discussions of the USGLC Global Impact Forum 2022

  1. Current Humanitarian Crises in Numbers. Across the globe, as many as 323 million people endure acute hunger and 100 million people have been forcibly displaced. In addition, just 17% of people in low-income nations have received one COVID-19 vaccine dose.
  2. Local Impact of Global Events. In simple terms, what happens globally impacts the U.S. domestically. An evident example of this is the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Current spikes in food prices in the U.S. reflect how the pandemic impacts the United States on a national level. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has also led to wheat export blocks, causing food shortages in countries in the Middle East and Africa. Famine can create instability and unrest, which can translate into conflict, and while conflict is a problem in itself, it also creates more problems like displacement and forced migration. Rising food prices across the world highlight the interconnectedness of the global food supply chain.
  3. Vaccines. Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) has said “America might be done with the pandemic, but the global pandemic is not done with the world.” With COVID restrictions easing and life gradually going back to normal, it is easy to believe that there are no more obstacles to surpass. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Though the U.S. has committed to supplying roughly 1.2 billion vaccines globally, there remain issues with manufacturing and distribution. Less than 1% of vaccines consumed in Africa are manufactured locally, therefore, vaccine distribution is critical to effectively tackle COVID-19 and future pandemics. Similarly, despite the heavy exports of vaccines, funding is still necessary to facilitate the process of getting doses into people’s arms.
  4. Food Insecurity. Secretary Tom Vilsack from the U.S. Department of Agriculture simplified the issue of food insecurity into three C’s: “COVID, Climate, Conflict.” Three factors that all contribute to the ongoing food crisis. USAID is actively working across the world to invest in urban agriculture, reduce food waste and increase domestic cropping and production of fertilizers and other inputs. As farmers stand at the center of the food system, they require support to enable the U.S. to keep markets open to supply fertilizers and other goods globally. At the moment, the focus is on the Ukrainian conflict — helping citizens in Ukraine as well as providing support to other countries affected by the reduced production capacity in Ukraine.
  5. Extreme Weather Patterns. President Biden has called on all federal agencies to also prioritize efforts to tackle extreme weather events. USAID launched a climate strategy in April 2022 that seeks to decrease carbon emissions by 6 billion tonnes and aims to invest $150 billion in climate-smart efforts, among other initiatives. This is critical considering that extreme weather events go hand-in-hand with economic insecurity, habitat destruction, internal and external migration and climate refugees.
  6. The Importance of Funding. For all the government officials, companies and NGOs present at the forum, the general consensus is that more funding is necessary to tackle the aforementioned global threats. More aid is needed from federal sources but also from the private sector which can benefit from these investments as well.
  7. Benefits for the U.S. A common misconception among U.S. citizens is that foreign aid solely benefits the recipient, but the USGLC Global Impact Forum 2022 showcased that foreign aid is mutually beneficial. Coca-Cola representative Joanna Price shared that 95% of consumers are based outside of the United States, making it critical to invest in the markets of tomorrow. U.S. companies have to maintain and grow connections globally as this will strengthen the global economy and secure democracy and stability. Domestically, supplying aid should be viewed opportunistically, as it can create a business environment and generate jobs for Americans to help partners abroad.

The USGLC Global Impact Forum reminds the U.S. about the importance of remaining engaged globally and providing adequate foreign aid for those in need.

– Claudia Efemini
Photo: Flickr

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US Approval of COVID-19 Vaccines For Young Children

COVID-19 vaccines for young childrenIn late June 2022, the CDC and FDA approved the emergency use of COVID-19 vaccines for young children such as Pfizer and Moderna for children ages 6 months to 5 years old. While countries worldwide have received vaccinations from Pfizer and Moderna, the U.S. is the first country to approve vaccines for children under five. Though children in this age group are less likely to experience severe infection than other age groups, the vaccines for young children were worth recommending as it works to reduce the spread of COVID-19. As countries across the globe continue to vaccinate their people, what does the U.S. approval of vaccines for children under five mean for people worldwide?

COVID-19’s Effect on Children Worldwide

Since the beginning of the pandemic, 543 million cases of COVID-19 have been reported worldwide. As of December 2021, 17,200 COVID-19 deaths have been reported in adolescents under the age of 20, making up 0.4% of deaths worldwide. The effect on children is harder to understand. Data on child excess mortality and case numbers are inconsistent. Numbers disproportionately represent high-income countries and while the pandemic hits the poorest children the hardest, the effects on middle and low-income countries are underreported.

Along with the direct health effects of contracting COVID-19, children are experiencing indirect effects from prolonging the pandemic. Specifically in low-income countries, children have been affected by the strain on the healthcare system, such as disruptions from routine care and lost family income.

For example, according to UNICEF, 80 million children under the age of one may miss out on other essential vaccines because of the disruptions of the pandemic in May 2020. With increased vaccination rates worldwide, the hope is the pandemic can be mitigated and such effects on children will decrease.

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for young children approved in the U.S. have a smaller dosage than their adult counterparts. For Moderna, two doses given four weeks apart are 25 micrograms each. With Pfizer, three shots contain three micrograms each. Each vaccine contains just a fraction of the dosage given to adults.

Worldwide Childhood Vaccine Distribution

Since the beginning of the pandemic, health care responses have not been equitable across the globe. While 66% of the world has been vaccinated against COVID-19, only 16% of people in low-income countries have received one dose as of May 2022. Initiatives similar to the WHO’s COVAX program has helped distribute COVID-19 vaccines to low-income countries. As of May 2022, Pfizer has distributed 3.5 billion COVID-19 vaccines to over 175 countries.

As the U.S. was the first country to approve Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for children under 5 years old, other efforts are underway across the world. Pfizer and Moderna are not the only COVID-19 vaccines, as a Cuban vaccine has been given to over 1.7 million children under the age of 18. This vaccine is now being produced for Iran, Vietnam and Venezuela.

Vaccine Regulations and Authorizations

Pfizer and Moderna are some of the most prominent vaccines as they are making up around 33.6% of the total vaccines distributed in Africa. The companies are working to get vaccines for young children approved in other countries. Pfizer says they are committed to protecting all age groups from COVID-19 and are working to ensure other countries will follow the actions of the U.S. authorization. The company plans to submit authorizations for vaccinations under five to regulators around the world. For example, the company will request authorization from the European Medical Agency beginning in July 2022.

Ultimately, the vaccine regulations and processes differ for each country. Countries will license various vaccines for different age groups depending on their own analysis of the safety and efficacy of the vaccines. As WHO’s Chief Scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan states, countries should follow their guidelines to determine their own calculated risks. Vaccine companies like Pfizer and Moderna will work with health care providers, governments and communities as they continue to expand access to healthcare throughout the world.

Conclusion

While it is unclear when each country will approve vaccines for young children and start distributing the shots, companies similar to Pfizer are working around the world to make sure children will have access to the vaccine.

– Abigail Turner
Photo: Flickr