A Voice for Vaccines in Brussels

While vaccine hesitancy has dominated headlines, access remains the chief barrier to immunization in poor countries. That was the consensus of the closing speakers at the world's first Global Vaccination Summit held yesterday in Brussels by WHO and The European Commission, Parliament Magazine reports.

But finding unvaccinated children is no longer a question of locating the rural poor: Increasingly, it means connecting with vulnerable urban and displaced communities.

Tech innovations—like drones and mobile phones—offer promising solutions for delivering vaccines, said Seth Berkley of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. “Even with crude data you can figure it out, you can reach the unreached,” he said.

More Highlights:

• 7 countries have lost their measles elimination status in the last 3 years, Health Europa reports.

Vaccines save 2-3 million lives every year—but with better coverage, they could save 1.5 million more, noted European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.