VACCINE CONFIDENCE IN KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA IN LIGHT OF RECENT UPSURGE IN POLIO CASES: A VIEW BY PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION- KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Vaccine hesitancy as defined by World Health Organization (WHO) refers to “delay in acceptance or refusal of vaccines despite availability of vaccination services. Vaccine hesitancy is complex and context specific, varying across time, place and vaccines. It is influenced by factors such as complacency, convenience and confidence.”¹ Vaccine hesitancy is a multidimensional complex phenomenon with many determinants.^2,3 It is usually seen amongst specific subgroups of population within a country and have certain context. Vaccine hesitancy is not always related to one specific vaccine. Sometimes it is against immunization in general. It is important to understand who is hesitant towards vaccines or the immunization program and why.⁴ Many models are available to understand and help elucidate this phenomenon. WHO has adopted “the 3C model” as it is readily understandable and has incorporated the themes in its definition as well i.e. complacency, convenience and confidence.⁵ Complacency and convenience are important determinants of vaccine hesitancy, in this write up we will keep ourselves limited to discussion on vaccine confidence. Vaccine confidence implies “trust in the vaccine (the product), trust in the vaccinator or other health professional (the provider), and trust in those who make the decisions about vaccine provision (the policy-maker).” It is the trust of the public not only on the vaccine itself but also the healthcare workers and the government that leads to vaccine confidence.