GAVI the Vaccine Alliance, Islamabad, Pakistan
World Bank, Washington, DC, USA.
BMJ Glob Health. 2024 Apr 10;9(4):e015200. doi: 10.1136/bmjgh-2024-015200.
In a health emergency, governments rely on public trust in their policy, and anticipate its compliance to protect health and save lives. Vaccine hesitancy compromises this process when an emergency involves infections. The prevailing discourse on vaccine hesitancy often describes it as a static phenomenon, ignoring its expanse and complexity, and neglecting the exploration of tools to address it. This article diverges from the conventional perspective by explaining the case of Pakistan and its communication strategy for the COVID-19 vaccine. Decades of polio vaccine hesitancy, rooted in the country's fight against terrorism, constitute its history. On the other hand, the first-ever launch of typhoid conjugate vaccine involving 35 million kids during 2019-2021 was a success. Against this backdrop, the country considered vaccine hesitancy as a dynamic phenomenon, interwoven with the social ecology and the responsiveness of the healthcare system. Its communication strategy facilitated those willing to receive the vaccine, while being responsive to the information needs of those still in the decision-making process. In the face of both hesitancy and a scarcity of vaccine doses, the country successfully inoculated nearly 70% (160 million) of its population in just over 1 year. People's perceptions about the COVID-19 vaccine also improved over time. This achievement offers valuable insights and tools for policymakers and strategists focused on the demand side of vaccine programmes. The lessons can significantly contribute to the global discourse on improving vaccine confidence and bolstering global health security.
在卫生紧急情况下，政府依赖于公众对其政策的信任，并预计公众会遵守这些政策，以保护健康和拯救生命。当紧急情况涉及传染病时，疫苗犹豫会破坏这一过程。关于疫苗犹豫的主流论述通常将其描述为一种静态现象，忽略了其范围和复杂性，也忽视了探索解决问题的工具。本文通过解释巴基斯坦的案例及其针对 COVID-19 疫苗的沟通策略，与传统观点有所不同。几十年来，脊髓灰质炎疫苗犹豫的根源在于该国与恐怖主义的斗争，这构成了该国的历史。另一方面，2019 年至 2021 年期间，该国首次推出了涉及 3500 万儿童的伤寒结合疫苗，这是一次成功。在此背景下，该国将疫苗犹豫视为一种动态现象，与社会生态和医疗保健系统的响应能力交织在一起。其沟通策略既为愿意接种疫苗的人提供了便利，又满足了仍在决策过程中的人的信息需求。面对犹豫和疫苗短缺的双重挑战，该国在短短一年多的时间内成功接种了近 70%（1.6 亿）的人口。人们对 COVID-19 疫苗的看法也随着时间的推移而有所改善。这一成就为专注于疫苗计划需求方的政策制定者和战略家提供了宝贵的见解和工具。这些经验教训可以为改善疫苗信心和加强全球卫生安全的全球讨论做出重大贡献。
