Welcome to the Last Mile

In the past 40 years, more than $3.4 trillion has been spent to address the critical diseases and poverty of developing nations.  In the early 1970s, immunization programs increased vaccination rates in low-income nations from 5% to 70%.

But these averages disguise major disparities.  Countries with limited infrastructure saw vaccine coverage peak and then decline as these programs concluded.

The problem is global:

• in Sub Saharan Africa, the region accounts for a disproportionate share of the worldwide deaths for vaccine-preventable diseases.  These diseases continue to kill 2.4 million children annually and leave millions more permanently impaired.

• in India, despite a dramatic increase in GDP since the mid 70s, 80% of the population still lives in rural areas with limited health and welfare services. The country holds 17% of the world’s population, but accounts for more than 30% of diarrheal diseases, tuberculosis, respiratory and other infections, and parasitic infestations.

For remote communities, the limited supporting infrastructure results in a lack of confidence and use of government healthcare.

The Innovation Pile-up

While many low income countries currently lack the capacity to distribute existing medical supplies, the challenge will become greater as additional resources are directed towards new, larger-dose vaccines, such as vaccines to combat malaria and HIV/AIDs.

Transportation and cold chain costs for these vaccines will increase, placing greater burden on the health sector.  Without addressing the distribution capabilities for health systems, the world risks an innovation pile-up, where the intended value of the billions being spent on research and development may not realized.