In a groundbreaking effort to increase COVID-19 vaccination rates in Sierra Leone, a team of economists and public health researchers led by Mushfiq Mobarak embarked on a journey to rural communities facing significant challenges in accessing vaccines.
Mobarak, a professor of economics at Yale, highlighted the geographical obstacles faced by Sierra Leoneans, stating, “You can drive for three or four hours without encountering a town.” He emphasized the impact of these conditions on vaccination uptake, saying, “If you and I were under those conditions, we wouldn’t get a vaccine either.”
The team’s innovative approach involved bringing COVID-19 vaccines directly to the most remote villages in Sierra Leone, bypassing traditional healthcare facilities. Their intervention proved successful, with vaccination rates in treated villages increasing significantly, demonstrating the effectiveness of their strategy in addressing the last-mile delivery problem.
Dr. Desmond Kangbai, director of the Expanded Program on Immunization in the Sierra Leone Ministry of Health & Sanitation, played a crucial role in implementing the study’s findings on the ground. Kangbai highlighted the importance of accurate data collection and the utilization of existing healthcare structures to drive successful vaccination campaigns.
Gloria Lihemo from UNICEF commended the team’s approach, noting that their study quantified the cost of accessing vaccines for rural communities and emphasized the impact of taking vaccines directly to where people are located. UNICEF plans to collaborate with researchers and stakeholders to implement similar strategies in other countries, aiming to improve vaccine equity across the global south.
Mobarak emphasized the need for pharmaceutical companies to support initiatives focused on improving access to vaccines, rather than solely addressing hesitancy. He underscored the potential of replicating their last-mile delivery solution in rural communities across sub-Saharan Africa to achieve vaccine equity for various diseases.
The success of the study in Sierra Leone not only sheds light on the importance of improving access to vaccines but also challenges the notion of blaming individuals without access for low vaccination rates. The researchers envision their efforts leading to programs that benefit people not only in Sierra Leone but also across the global south, offering hope for enhanced healthcare delivery in underserved regions.
