Roundtable discussion: Ethics and equity of eradication and routine programs

Experts discuss the ethics and equity of an eradication vs. routine program.

Presenter 1: Olakunle Alonge, MD, MPH, PhD Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, USA

Presenter 2: Svea Closser, MPH, PhD, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, USA

Moderator: Anna Kalbarczyk, DrPH, MPH Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, USA

In the roundtable discussion, Svea Closser states:

“In certain areas the polio program has become the health system. And that raises particular ethical and equity issues if all that’s being provided is just an oral polio vaccine. So when you have a health system that’s been created to serve you, and yet only provides you with one vaccine, is that equity?”

Reflect on this and the content we have covered so far this week. Then consider the following questions:

What do you think? Is it valuable that polio programs have reached regions that haven’t been reached by any other aspect of modern health systems? If you think yes, why? If not, why not? What, if anything, should be done instead?

Post your thoughts in the discussion.