Short video animation explaining the value of vaccination
By helping healthy people stay healthy, vaccines remove a major barrier to human development. Immunised children have higher cognitive abilities and are more likely to attend school and go on to be productive members of their community.
By reducing illness and long-term disability, vaccines also generate savings for health systems and families. Health workers are freed up and parents spend less time looking after sick children.
Other known and potential impacts require further research. For example: what is the link between vaccines, health and educational achievement? How can we measure the connection between childhood health and future economic prospects?
In January 2013 GAVI brought together 25 leading health economists and other experts to Annecy, France, from around the world to debate these and other related issues, and to agree on a programme of future research to answer some of the key questions raised.
It now seems likely that we have been seriously underestimating the full benefits of vaccines and the return on investment that they offer. By closing the gaps in our knowledge and by identifying new metrics to gauge their full impact, beyond saving lives and preventing disease, GAVI now hopes to enhance the global impact of vaccines and in doing so maximise the full lifetime potential of the children receiving them.
