Recognizing the role of immunization as a central pillar of NCD prevention and management would be a significant step forward. To deploy lifelong routine immunization programs as fundamental components of NCD management, policy- and decision-makers should look to deliver decisive action across four policy priorities.
Recognizing the role of immunization as a central pillar of NCD prevention and management would be a significant step forward.
Firstly, we must ensure that adult immunization is at the core of essential NCD care in health care systems all over the world. That includes immunization against respiratory infections in national strategies and access through innovative outreach and delivery models.
Secondly, this should include expanded access to vaccines for people living with NCDs. This can help prevent complications, reduce hospitalizations and support system resilience, and enable more efficient use of existing prevention budgets.
Thirdly, we need to build awareness of the importance of immunization among people living with NCDs, by providing clear, trusted information and equipping healthcare professionals with the right knowledge and skills to communicate effectively about vaccines.
And, finally, we must make sure there is a system to capture what is going well and what can be improved, by tracking immunization coverage for people living with NCDs so that there is clear accountability for driving further progress.
Investing in social and economic resilience
Integrating routine adult immunization into NCD prevention and management offers a cost-effective opportunity to bend the curve on NCDs, helping people stay healthier for longer, alleviating pressure on healthcare systems, and delivering substantial economic benefits.
Data shows that adult vaccination programs deliver socio-economic benefits of up to 19 times the initial investment through benefits to individuals, health care systems and wider society. As countries confront rising rates of chronic disease, aging populations, workforce shortages and increasingly constrained budgets, investing in prevention today is not just good health policy — it’s smart economics.
