Multi-approach needed to make vaccine accessible to all

Vaccine is considered as one of the most efficacious, cost-effective and beneficial tools for saving millions of lives in the world. Although poor nations will get the maximum benefit of the vaccine, many lifesaving vaccines are inaccessible to millions of children in developing countries like Bangladesh.
Star Health talked to Professor Robert Booy, Head of the Clinical Research team at the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS), Australia who has wealth of experience in vaccine research, immunisation and infectious diseases to share his ideas to make vaccine accessible to all. The summary of the conversation with Prof Booy is projected below:
What are the current and future challenges of vaccine?
There are millions of people who cannot access the vaccine simply because they cannot afford it. Many life-saving vaccines are still out of reach of common people in most developing nations. There are high cost and technology involved in vaccine production that allows few companies to produce vaccine in developed part of the world. There is also the complexity of storage and delivery system that leads to poor coverage.
How can we reduce the cost and increase accessibility of vaccine in developing countries including Bangladesh?
Multiple approaches should be taken to trim down the cost and make vaccine accessible for mass population. Approaches to provide fund should be placed to multiple donors including governments, GAVI (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation), The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, World Health Organisation (WHO), international NGOs, development agencies and also local donors.
There should be two different pricing system-for developed and developing counties where developing one will get it at reduced price. There is also need to innovate or improve the ways we deliver vaccine. If we could innovate the easy to use method like micro-needle skin patches, spray that would reduce the need of skilled manpower, reduce storage hazards and fewer side effects.
Again, transfer of technology for vaccine production in developing countries with emerging economy would lead to production of vaccine at relatively lower price.
There is a laps of around 15–20 years before vaccines are available to poor countries. How can we close the gap?
A new financial mechanism called the Advance Market Commitment (AMC) provides important tool to enable poor countries to get new vaccine in more timely fashion. Through the AMC mechanism, the manufacturers make binding commitment to make vaccine available in sufficient quantities as demanded by countries and to sell those amounts at a relatively lower price. Supply and demand are thus brought into better balance sooner that closes the lag.

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