Vaccine: Public Health and Prevention in Times of Financial Austerity
V. John Michael Quinn *
Prague Center for Global Health, Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic
Tomas Zeleny
Institute of Economics, Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic
Vladimir Bencko
Prague Center for Global Health, Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
This narrative review paper briefly and anecdotally discusses the current reality and future requirements across nations to invest in public health prevention strategies to ensure global health. Many novel public health campaigns have been underway and much of the research literature to date have explored a myriad of modalities to promote global health in the context of human and health security. We propose that a back-to-basics approach may benefit states and health policy. In light of the long emergency that is financial austerity for many nation-states with regional conflict displacing millions, prevention may be the best option for public health institutions to maximize best medical outcomes for populations. Comment is also made about disease prevention and the exploding non-communicable disease wave hitting both the developed and developing world. This review paper makes the case for prevention of disease and emphasizes the benefits of vaccination.
Keywords: Vaccine, primary prevention, health security and economic austerity