Amidst the availability of promising new vaccines for the control of typhoid fever, CaT members are working to tackle many of the challenges that may prevent their uptake. These include, but are not limited to:
Increasing disease burden & vaccine health impact data
- Without good data about how the disease affects people and how a vaccine may help them, those in charge of global immunization policy and finance cannot make an informed decision about whether to support the use of a vaccine.
Establishing vaccination strategies
- In order for a vaccine to be used effectively, there need to be well thought out strategies regarding who, where and how to vaccinate. Evidence for implementing these strategies is also an instrumental part of the policymaking process at the global, regional and national levels. These strategies are often analyzed through the use of mathematical modeling.
Securing committed donor financing
- Typhoid vaccines are needed most in developing countries where the disease is endemic; however, these countries often cannot afford to pay the price set by vaccine manufacturers. Donor financing guarantees an affordable vaccine price and is essential for the introduction of new vaccines into country immunization programs.
Improving diagnostic tools
- Delayed and inaccurate diagnosis and treatment result in increased costs and higher rates of serious complications and deaths. In many areas, typhoid fever is misdiagnosed as malaria, dengue or pneumonia due to non-specific clinical symptoms, which in turn hinders the ability to generate credible disease burden data and identify high-risk groups.
Raising country awareness
- Even when a vaccine becomes available, countries where the it is needed may be hesitant to adopt if they do not have enough information about how the vaccine should be used, how much it will cost, and what its impact will be in reducing the disease burden. Engagement of in-country partners and targeted media strategies are essential to garnering the attention of policymakers, who influence decisions about vaccine adoption.
