PD 07 - Sustainability of Healthcare Systems

The Sustainable Development Goals recognize the importance of vaccination as a key health and development factor. The immunization target: 'Proportion of the target population covered by all vaccines included in their national Programme (3.b.1)' reflects the ability of a country to ensure access to vaccines and also to deliver them with high and equitable coverage. The UN High Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage will restate that vaccination is an essential health service and that there is no sustainable healthcare system without full child immunization and life course immunization.

Still, coverage gaps are observed around the world, linked to the complexity of the implementation of vaccination strategies, to lack of investment as well as to vaccination hesitancy. The vaccination ecosystem is fragile: it involves multiple stakeholders who have to efficiently interact. Successful vaccination program at national levels offer the opportunity to understand what works and potentially to adapt and replicate evidence-based practices, including on the adoption of innovative vaccines, technologies and digital solutions.

The event aims to:
• Discuss the outcomes of the 2019 UN High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) for greater action on immunization
• Discuss the investment case for vaccination and the broad benefit of life course immunization, in light of its contribution to sustainability of healthcare systems
• Highlight the fundamentals of boosting research & development and innovation in the vaccines field to tackle global health challenges
• Call to action to closing the immunization gap through multi-stakeholders’ joined commitment