The H1N1 Recap: Problems Faced With Distributing New H1N1 Vaccines to aid Infection Control

Is there a problem regarding global distribution of the H1N1 vaccines?

Can you imagine the complexity of trying to give everyone in the world, anything? Trying to do this, would be comparable to the kinds of problems faced by those who are attempting to distribute new H1N1 vaccines to aid in global infection control. This is not just a matter of handing someone something, like a piece of paper or a penny. 

Medical professionals have to administer these H1N1 vaccines to individuals. It is only possible, one injection at a time. This is a time consuming process involving many dedicated people, on a number of different levels.

Several major problems those who are distributing the new H1N1 vaccines have faced and will encounter further, have to do with the shortage of health care professionals all around the world, at the same time, as a global economic decline.

In other words, there may not be enough professionally trained people to administer the vaccines, even where the governments of various countries of the world are able to assist with the cost of the distribution and administration of the H1N1 vaccines. Medical professionals may have to come from other regions, so coordination of professional health care efforts will be important.

Remote areas of the globe may prove to be hard to reach or inaccessible, at certain times of the year and thus, ensuring these areas receive the H1N1 vaccines immediately, may prove difficult. This is not something new or different for health care professionals. At the same time, there may be a high incidence of the H1N1 flu in some of these areas, particularly during certain times of the year.

Remoteness and inaccessibility of certain areas are only two serious concerns that medical professionals deal with all of the time.

Hygiene may be another issue that anyone who enters an area to administer H1N1 vaccines may have to contend with, if or when they are able to get them there. In other words, they may put their own lives at risk by entering into these areas. They may also have to contend with other disease entities like HIV, tuberculosis or malaria. Health care professionals have dealt with these kinds of issues again and again, over the years.

Culture and language barriers could be two huge problems. These will not be unique to the H1N1 vaccine distribution program either.

Will the government of every country comprehend the importance of H1N1 vaccine distribution and administration? There may be resistance encountered. There will be war, famine and poverty to contend with, as well as serious weather concerns like monsoons, typhoons and inclement winter weather. Certain communities may have travel restrictions due to road conditions, flash floods, earthquakes or tsunamis.

While immediate vaccine availability may be an issue of concern to health care administrators, the countries that are the most receptive to receiving and administering the H1N1 vaccines, will probably find that the vaccines they need will be attainable within a reasonable length of time. Others may have to wait until more H1N1 vaccines are ready for distribution.

There may be parts of the world where people will not be able to pay for their H1N1 vaccines. Making certain that the poor and disadvantaged are able to receive the vaccines, regardless of their ability to pay is important.

Governments should deal rightly with their own people and others who enter the country, but at the same time, that does not necessarily always happen either. Each government is accountable to its own people, as well as to other countries and their governments, with regard to the health concerns related to a pandemic.

Understanding and addressing the complexity of global immunization for H1N1, is in the hand of medical professionals and educators everywhere. It is also a coordinated effort through the WHO.

Those who have questions regarding the H1N1 vaccines should seek answers through their own physicians, community health organizations and local governments. It is possible to overcome most problems, although it is not always easy. Current information is available on the Internet daily.

If people work together, on a global level, for the distribution and administration of the new H1N1 vaccines, most problems will be resolvable. Everyone can receive a message of hope in this respect.