Immunizations

A well-vaccinated global population is among the strongest safeguards of global health security, lowering the risk of epidemic-prone diseases and improving child well-being. Vaccination is often the first contact individuals have with their health system, making it a critical entry point for primary health care and a foundational platform for all public health services. Yet despite focused efforts to improve global vaccine delivery, persistent challenges reaching marginalized populations and insecurity in disordered settings often prevent health workers from reaching every child, while low levels of trust in vaccines and the health system can dissuade those with access from benefitting from immunization services. Sustained financial, technical, and political commitments are needed to support proven international partnerships such as Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative to ensure immunization programs reach all target populations.

The CSIS Global Health Policy Center produces actionable, pragmatic policy recommendations on U.S.-supported vaccine delivery programs. Through projects examining the challenge of sustaining routine immunizations while preparing for the equitable dissemination of a Covid-19 vaccine and analyzing the complex relationships among vaccine confidence, misinformation, and national security, GHPC’s work explores how securing and sustaining global vaccine delivery systems advances U.S. health security and is foundational to U.S. leadership in global health.