Measuring Accessibility, Equity and System Functioning to Strengthen Routine Immunization Services Background Routine immunization services are essential for protecting children from vaccine-preventable diseases and remain a cornerstone of child survival. However, the presence of a health facility does not necessarily mean that vaccination services are geographically accessible. In South Sudan, dispersed settlements, seasonal flooding, limited transport infrastructure and insecurity can restrict access to routine immunization services and create substantial geographic inequities. Understanding where these barriers occur and which populations are affected allows for improvement of service delivery, strengthened microplanning, thereby ensuring underserved children are reached. Traditional planning approaches generally rely on administrative boundaries and the location of health facilities to estimate service coverage, providing limited insight into whether populations can realistically access services. Geospatial analysis offers an opportunity to move beyond these assumptions by measuring access from the perspective of affected populations. By identifying underserved communities, quantifying accessibility gaps and assessing opportunities to improve service distribution, this approach can support more equitable immunization planning and evidence-based allocation of resources.
Save the Children UK Alumni Association
The Alumni Association of SC UK