Vaccination initiatives in the world's poorest countries will have prevented 20 million deaths and saved around $350 billion in health-care costs by 2020, a new study has found.
Furthermore, the researchers estimate that the broader economic savings from prevented deaths and disabilities come about $820 billion, said a release to the Ghana News Agency.
The study, conducted by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, examined the impact of Gavi, the Global Vaccine Initiative launched in 2000 to provide vaccines to children in the world's poorest countries.
Gavi - whose donors include governments, the World Health Organization and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – has contributed to the immunization of 580 million children in the 73 countries the team analyzed.
"Vaccination is generally regarded to be one of the most cost-effective interventions in public health," Sachiko Ozawa, lead author of the study said.
"Decision-makers need to appreciate the full potential economic benefits that are likely to result from the introduction and sustained use of any vaccine or vaccination program," it said.
To calculate the figures, the team looked at all the economic costs that could be saved from preventing illness through vaccinations.
These include money saved from averting treatment, transportation costs, productivity losses related to caregivers and productivity losses due to disability and death.
They also looked at the wider economic and social value of living a longer, healthier life, due to immunization.
"Our examination of the broader economic and social value of vaccines illustrates the substantial gains associated with vaccination," Ozawa said. "Unlike previous estimates that only examine the averted costs of treatment, our estimates of the broader economic and social value of vaccines reflect the intrinsic value that people place on living longer and healthier lives."
The team found that on average, each of the 73 countries studied saved an average of $5 million a year in treatment costs a year because of the use of just 10 vaccines - hepatitis B, human papillomavirus, Japanese encephalitis, measles, rotavirus, rubella, yellow fever and three bacteria strains that cause pneumonia and meningitis.
Together, these vaccines will have prevented around 20 million deaths, 500 million illnesses and 960 million years of disability by 2020.
The research showed that vaccinating against hepatitis B, measles and two bacteria that cause pneumonia and meningitis resulted in the greatest economic benefits.
Latest Stories
-
NPA scandal: Two more co-accused granted bail after meeting requirements
30 seconds -
Gov’t launches forensic audit of stalled projects following loan discrepancies – Finance Minister
1 minute -
Minority Caucusdemands repeal of L.I. 2462 as galamsey threat deepens
2 minutes -
Full text: 2025 Mid-Year Budget Review presented by Finance Minister
12 minutes -
State actors shielding galamsey networks – Minority Caucus alleges
13 minutes -
Gov’t targets completion of 24 stalled projects by end of 2028 – Finance Minister
16 minutes -
2025 Mid-Year Budget Review: This is the Reset Mahama promised – Ato Forson
17 minutes -
We see you, we hear you and we’re working for you – Ato Forson to Ghanaians
43 minutes -
Ghana deserves better than B- – Finance Minister tells rating agencies
44 minutes -
‘Inshallah, Mahama will deliver’ – Ato Forson assures Ghanaians
50 minutes -
Ghana’s economic confidence rebuilt in under 200 days – Finance Minister Ato Forson
55 minutes -
Jeffrey Schlupp signs for Norwich City
1 hour -
NPA boss inspects Aviation fuel discharge at Tema Oil Jetty
1 hour -
We are not out of the woods yet, but second half of 2025 promises to be better – Finance Minister
1 hour -
Gov’t injects GH₵450m into NIB, preserves GH₵6.4bn depositors’ funds – Dr. Forson
1 hour