Vaccination Campaigns in Favour of Primary Healthcare and the Attainment of Universal Health Coverage

Nasser Fardousi^*
*Correspondence: Nasser Fardousi, Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK, Email:

Keywords

Primary healthcare • Vaccination campaigns • Health coverage

Introduction

Importance of vaccination campaigns

Vaccination is a cost-effective way to prevent and control infectious diseases, and it has a significant impact on reducing morbidity and mortality. Vaccines can protect against a wide range of infectious diseases, including measles, polio, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and many others. Vaccination campaigns are an essential tool in achieving high vaccination coverage rates and protecting entire communities from infectious diseases. Vaccination campaigns are especially important for vulnerable populations, such as children, pregnant women, and the elderly. Vaccines can prevent severe illness and death, particularly for those with weakened immune systems or underlying health conditions. Vaccination campaigns are also critical in preventing outbreaks of infectious diseases. When vaccination coverage rates are high, the spread of infectious diseases is slowed or stopped, reducing the risk of an outbreak. This is particularly important for diseases that are highly contagious, such as measles or influenza.

Finally, vaccination campaigns can help to reduce the burden on healthcare systems by preventing the need for hospitalization and expensive medical treatments. By preventing the spread of infectious diseases, vaccination campaigns can save healthcare systems billions of dollars in healthcare costs each year. Universal health coverage (UHC) aims to ensure that all people have access to quality healthcare services without financial hardship. Vaccination campaigns are a critical component of achieving UHC, and they can contribute to the attainment of UHC in several ways [1].

Literature Review

Preventive services

Vaccination is a preventive healthcare service that can prevent a wide range of infectious diseases. Preventive services are essential to achieving UHC, as they can help to prevent the onset of diseases and reduce the need for more expensive curative services. By preventing infectious diseases, vaccination campaigns can help to reduce the burden on healthcare systems and save costs. This is particularly important for low-income countries, where the burden of infectious diseases is high, and healthcare resources are limited [2].

Equity and access

Vaccination campaigns can help to improve equity and access to healthcare services, which are essential components of UHC. Vaccines are typically administered free of charge or at a low cost, making them accessible to all, regardless of their ability to pay. Vaccination campaigns can also be targeted to reach underserved populations, such as those living in rural or remote areas or those with limited access to healthcare services. By reaching these populations, vaccination campaigns can help to reduce health disparities and improve access to healthcare services [3].

Disease surveillance and response

Vaccination campaigns can contribute to disease surveillance and response, which is critical to achieving UHC. Disease surveillance involves the systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of data on the occurrence and distribution of diseases. Vaccination campaigns can help to identify areas where infectious diseases are prevalent and target interventions to prevent their spread. Vaccination campaigns can also help to monitor the effectiveness of vaccines and identify new strains of infectious diseases that may emerge [4].

Community engagement

Vaccination campaigns can help to engage communities and increase their participation in healthcare services. Community engagement is an essential component of achieving UHC, as it can help to build trust in healthcare systems and promote healthy behaviours. Recent improvements in immunisation coverage and the provision of primary healthcare services have stalled. The coverage gaps that still exist reflect a variety of underlying issues that could be resolved by a better health system design. For better service delivery and a stronger Universal Health Coverage, vaccination programmes and other primary healthcare services can complement one another. Addressing dynamic and multifaceted risks and impediments is necessary for improvements [5].

They include the availability of a skilled labour force, the deployment of high-quality data systems, as well as innovative, adaptable, data-driven leadership and management that is sensitive to regional demands. In order to support community engagement and vaccination, it will also be necessary to make improvements to the procurement, supply chain, logistics, and delivery systems, as well as to the integrated monitoring of vaccination coverage and epidemiological disease surveillance with laboratory systems. Last but not least, it takes political will, on-going resource commitment, and open accountability systems. The opportunity to apply lessons learned in order to improve vaccine services integrated with strong primary health care services and universal health coverage across the life course is provided by the experience of how the COVID-19 pandemic affected essential PHC services and the difficulties of the vaccine roll-out.

Health coverage, also known as healthcare coverage or medical insurance, refers to the financial protection that individuals or groups have against healthcare expenses. Health coverage is crucial to ensure access to necessary healthcare services without incurring financial burden, and it is an important component of overall health and well-being. In this article, we will discuss the importance of health coverage, the different types of health coverage, and the challenges in achieving universal health coverage.

Importance of health coverage

Health coverage is essential for several reasons. Firstly, it protects individuals and families from the high cost of healthcare services. Medical treatment can be expensive, especially for chronic or complex health conditions, and without health coverage, individuals may have to pay out of pocket, which can lead to financial hardship and even bankruptcy. Secondly, health coverage ensures access to necessary healthcare services. When individuals have health coverage, they are more likely to seek medical care when needed, including preventive services such as immunizations and cancer screenings. This can lead to better health outcomes and reduced healthcare costs in the long term. Thirdly, health coverage promotes health equity. Without health coverage, individuals from lower-income or marginalized communities may have limited access to healthcare services, leading to health disparities and inequities. Health coverage can help to ensure that everyone has access to necessary healthcare services, regardless of their income or social status.

Types of health coverage

There are several types of health coverage, including employer-sponsored insurance, individual insurance plans, government-funded programs, and international health insurance.

Employer-Sponsored insurance

Employer-sponsored insurance is health coverage provided by an employer to their employees and their dependents. Employers may choose to provide health coverage as part of their employee benefits package to attract and retain talent. The cost of employer-sponsored insurance is typically shared between the employer and employee, with the employer covering a significant portion of the premium.

Individual insurance plans

Individual insurance plans are health coverage purchased by individuals or families directly from an insurance provider. Individual plans can be purchased through the healthcare marketplace, insurance brokers, or directly from insurance providers. The cost of individual insurance plans can vary depending on the level of coverage and the individual's health status.

Discussion

Government-Funded programs

Government-funded programs are health coverage programs provided by the government to eligible individuals or groups. Examples of governmentfunded programs include Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). These programs are funded through taxes and provide health coverage to low-income individuals, seniors, and children.

International health insurance

International health insurance provides coverage for individuals traveling or living abroad. International health insurance can provide coverage for medical treatment, emergency medical evacuation, and other related expenses. International health insurance can be purchased by individuals, families, or employers who have employees working abroad.

Challenges in achieving universal health coverage

Despite the importance of health coverage, achieving universal health coverage (UHC) remains a challenge in many countries. UHC aims to ensure that all individuals and communities have access to quality healthcare services without financial hardship. One of the biggest challenges in achieving UHC is the cost of healthcare services. Healthcare costs have been rising globally, and many individuals and families may not be able to afford health coverage, even with subsidies or government-funded programs [6].

Conclusion

Another challenge is the limited availability of healthcare services in some areas. In low-income countries, healthcare infrastructure may be limited, making it difficult to provide necessary healthcare services to all communities. In some cases, healthcare providers may be concentrated in urban areas, making it difficult for rural communities to access necessary healthcare services. In addition, there may be social and cultural barriers to accessing healthcare services, especially for marginalized communities. For example, women may face cultural barriers to accessing reproductive health services, and individuals from lower-income or minority communities may face discrimination in accessing healthcare services.

Acknowledgement

None.

Conflict of Interest

None.

References

1. Timilshina, Narhari, Mohammad Aslam Ansari and Vinita Dayal. "Risk of infection among primary health workers in the Western Development Region, Nepal: Knowledge and compliance." J Infect Dev Ctries 5 (2011): 018-022.

Google Scholar, Crossref, Indexed at

2. Braimoh, O. B., and S. E. Udeabor. "Hand hygiene practices among community health officers in Rivers State, Nigeria." Afr Health Sci 13 (2013): 507-511.

Google Scholar, Crossref, Indexed at

3. Kermode, Michelle. "Healthcare worker safety is a pre-requisite for injection safety in developing countries." Int J Infect Dis 8 (2004): 325-327.

Google Scholar, Crossref, Indexed at

4. Janjua, Naveed Z. "Poor knowledge–predictor of nonadherence to universal precautions for blood borne pathogens at first level care facilities in Pakistan." BMC infect Dis 7 (2007): 1-11.

Google Scholar, Crossref, Indexed at

5. Janjua, Naveed Z., Mohammad I. Khan and Bushra Mahmood. "Sharp injuries and their determinants among health care workers at first‐level care facilities in Sindh Province, Pakistan." Trop Med Int Health 15 (2010): 1244-1251.

Google Scholar, Crossref, Indexed at

6. Maroldi, Michely Aparecida Cardoso. "Adherence to precautions for preventing the transmission of microorganisms in primary health care: A qualitative study." BMC Nurs 16 (2017): 1-8.

Google Scholar, Crossref, Indexed at