Community Conversations on Vaccines, Episode 9

Rubina Qasim and Dr. Ariel Frisancho consider how to build vaccine equity and trust through community-centered policies and inclusive health systems.

Sabin Vaccine Institute’s Community Conversations on Vaccines, presented by Immunization Advocates, explores issues related to vaccines and immunization in low- and middle-income countries through discussions with close-to-community professionals, including health workers, journalists and researchers.

Rubina Qasim, an assistant professor at the Institute of Nursing & Midwifery, Dow University Health Sciences in Pakistan, and Dr. Ariel Frisancho, country director of the Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB) in Peru, consider the future and how policymakers can build trust and equitable access to vaccines to promote healthy communities. Rubina shares her research and successful approaches to addressing vaccine myths and misinformation among the Pashtun community in Pakistan. Ariel observes community experiences with COVID-19 and routine immunization in Peru and the implications for global health policy. Vince Blaser and Francesca Montalto join Rubina and Ariel to discuss community-centered policy changes needed, including more inclusive health systems to boost vaccine acceptance and demand.