The effects and costs of expanding coverage of immunization services in developing countries: A systematic literature review

Abstract

The range of potential effects and costs of interventions to expand the coverage of immunization programs in developing countries was reviewed for the first time and demonstrated that increasing coverage is achievable. With the exception of a mass campaign, all interventions were reported to increase the proportion of fully vaccinated children. The findings are of particular value for policy debates about the introduction of new vaccines versus the need to vaccinate as many children as possible with the current ones. The review highlighted the need for: cost analyses to be undertaken alongside evaluations of interventions; and an improvement in the methodological quality of studies.

Citation

Pegurri, E.; Fox-Rushby, J.; Walker, D. The effects and costs of expanding coverage of immunization services in developing countries: A systematic literature review. Vaccine (2005) 23 (13) 1624-1635. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2004.02.029]

The effects and costs of expanding coverage of immunization services in developing countries: A systematic literature review

Published 12 September 2006