Trends of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (Dpt3) vaccination coverage in afghanistan 2016-2017, changes and comparisons: A teaching case-study

Abstract

If all countries are to reach at least 90% DTP3 vaccination coverage, 9.9 million additional children would need to be vaccinated in 64 countries. Of these children, 7.3 million live in “fragile states”, that is, those countries affected by conflict and/or humanitarian crises; 4 million of these children live in just three countries – Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan – where access to routine immunization services is critical to achieving and sustaining polio eradication as well. According to 2016 data, of these 64 countries, 23 are non-Gavi eligible lower-middle-income countries (representing 1.2 million infants), 39 are supported by Gavi (with 8.6 million un-and under-vaccinated) and two are high-income countries. By the end of 2014, 18.7 million children under the age of 1 year had not received three doses of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DPT3). Three-quarters of children who have not received DPT3 coverage are living in Afghanistan. In Afghanistan, the DPT showed low coverage in 2017 compared to 2016. In this case study, we are going to compare vaccination coverage in 2017 with that in 2016 in Afghanistan. This case study aims to simulate the analysis of vaccination coverage and identifying reasons for low vaccine coverage.