What is the Knowledge Hub?
Explore the VoICE Knowledge Hub—a searchable database featuring the latest peer-reviewed research on immunization benefits, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Browse the Knowledge Hub using a variety of different filters to find vaccine evidence based on country, region, topic, or disease. Click on a tag to find more evidence on a specific area, such as the return on investment of vaccines or impacts of infectious disease outbreaks.
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Attending antenatal care visits increases the likelihood of fully immunized children in Nigeria and other countries
Mothers in Nigeria were between 2-4 times more likely to have fully immunized children if they attended 1-3 antenatal care (ANC) visits, between 2.5-8 times more likely if they attended 4-7 ANC visits, and between nearly 3-14 times more likely if they attended at least 8 ANC visits compared to those who had no ANC.
Similar findings have been seen in many LMICs, including Senegal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, India, Zimbabwe, and Southwest Ethiopia.
Anichukwu OI, Asamoah BO. 2019. The impact of maternal health care utilisation on routine immunisation coverage of children in Nigeria: A cross-sectional study. BMJ Open. 9(6).
Immunization rates increase when Ethiopian mothers receive maternal health services
Ethiopian mothers use of any of three maternal health services — antenatal care, delivery services, or tetanus vaccination — significantly increased the likelihood of their children being fully immunized by 12-23 months of age. Therefore, national immunization initiatives should concentrate on improving access of pregnant women to these key maternal health services.
Regassa N, Bird Y, Moraros J. 2019. Preference in the use of full childhood immunizations in Ethiopia: The role of maternal health services. Patient Preference and Adherence. 13.
Childhood vaccination provides an opportunity to deliver additional interventions
A recent review looks at evidence linking vaccinations in early infancy to childhood development services. BCG and DPT have the highest coverage of any vaccines worldwide and are typically administered within 6 weeks of birth. This timing offers the opportunity to deliver a range of early childhood development interventions such as newborn hearing screening, sickle cell screening, treatment and surveillance, maternal education around key newborn care issues such as jaundice, and tracking early signs of poor growth and nutrition.
Olusanya, B.O.. 2009. Optimising the use of routine immunisation clinics for early childhood development in sub-Saharan Africa. Vaccine. 27.
Immunization programs provide cost-sharing opportunities with other health interventions, like clean water initiatives
This paper presents the first cost-benefit comparison of improved water supply investments and cholera vaccination programs. The modeling results showed that improved water supply interventions combined with targeted cholera vaccination programs are much more likely to yield attractive cost-benefit ratio outcomes than a community-based vaccination program alone.
Jeuland, M. and Whittington, D.. 2009. Cost-benefit comparisons of investments in improved water supply and cholera vaccination programs. Vaccine. 27(23).