Why are Health Campaigns Important?

Many health programs, including polio, neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), measles, and nutrition, depend in part – or almost entirely – on campaign platforms to achieve impactDisease eradication, elimination and control, and reduced burden of disease (mortality, morbidity, disabilities) and reach vulnerable populations. There are many settings, particularly countries or regions with weaker health systems, where campaign-type approaches will remain an essential part of the delivery toolkit and continue to support routine services.

Expertise in optimizing campaigns remains fragmented and cross-learning and collaboration is limited across campaign platforms. We believe there is an opportunity to better understand campaign-based delivery platforms.

By the Numbers:

Campaigns Help Achieve Coverage Goals

• 66% of previously unreached children were covered by measles supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) across 14 countries (Portnoy et al., 2018)

• All priority countries reached 64% in vitamin A supplement (VAS) coverageA proportion (%) that reflects the number of people receiving (an) intervention(s) divided by the total number of people eligible to receive the intervention(s) in 2016 through campaigns (UNICEF, 2018)

• An increase in insecticide-treated bed nets (ITN) coverage was observed in areas where free distribution had operated between survey periods (Noor et al., 2009)

Campaigns are Often Very Cost-Effective

• Delivery costs for measles-containing campaigns are ~ $0.94 per child (Measles-Rubella Initiative)

• It costs $1.20 to deliver vitamin A to a child (UNICEF VAS Statistical Snapshot, 2016)

• It costs $0.30-$0.50 to provide preventative chemotherapy for NTDs to one person (WHO, 2017)

Campaigns Drive Impact

• 15% of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance projected deaths averted will be due to campaign doses (80% of these via measles and rubella campaigns)

• VAS reduces all-cause mortality in 6- to 59-month-old children by 24% (Cochrane, 2010)

• 7 million onchocerciasis disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were averted between 2011-2020 (WHO, 2017)

• 5.53 deaths are averted per 1,000 children protected from malaria per year (Lengeler et al., 2004)