The Pakistan Expanded Program on Immunization and the National Immunization Support Project : An Economic Analysis
Pakistan faces a formidable challenge in eliminating the polio virus from the country. With transmission of the polio virus substantially slowing in the Africa region, the only two countries worldwide with ongoing endemic polio transmission may soo...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Language: | English en_US |
| Published: |
Washington, DC: World Bank
2017
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/264971484109785001/The-Pakistan-Expanded-Program-on-Immunization-and-the-National-Immunization-Support-Project-an-economic-analysis http://hdl.handle.net/10986/25864 |
| Summary: | Pakistan faces a formidable challenge in
eliminating the polio virus from the country. With
transmission of the polio virus substantially slowing in the
Africa region, the only two countries worldwide with ongoing
endemic polio transmission may soon be Pakistan and
Afghanistan. A substantial number of the polio cases or
infant paralysis occurring in Afghanistan is linked to
cross-border transmission from Pakistan. The ongoing cycle
of polio infection is not just a tragedy for the children of
Pakistan, it is a global public health emergency
constituting one of the final barriers to permanently
eradicating polio. This paper demonstrates clear economic
benefits and efficacy of the National Immunization Support
Project (NISP), which is financing interventions in terms of
DALYs saved, and establishes that this approach is
affordable and economically effective with a high rate of
return. In addition to increased investment, the
effectiveness of the Expanded Program on Immunization can be
enhanced by improving the capacity building of health
professionals, as well as by improving logistics of program
interventions to reach marginalized populations, remote
areas, and pockets of resistance. An increased financial
investment alone will be insufficient to address the root
causes of persistent under-coverage of immunization in
Pakistan. It is imperative that ample attention and
resources be diverted to strengthen the procurement systems,
local and provincial management capacity, and reporting
mechanisms, among other capacity improvements. |
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