Travel time to health facilities in Papua New Guinea: Implications for coverage and equity in child vaccinations

Abstract

With infant and child mortality rates that are among the highest in the Pacific region, and basic vaccination coverage rates that are 39% among children 12–23 months, increased coverage of vaccines is a high priority investment for Papua New Guinea (PNG). Using recently gathered household survey data for PNG, this paper contributes to the evidence-base for enhancing investments in frontline facilities by examining the implications of travel time to health facilities for basic vaccination coverage among children in PNG. We find that vaccination coverage rates among children 12–23 months old in PNG are decreasing in distance to healthcare facilities; and this holds whether the outcome is receipt of basic vaccinations (BCG; 3 dose pentavalent; OPV3; Measles), or basic vaccinations-plus (basic vaccinations + Hepatitis B + PCV3). We also find that travel time to health facilities lowers vaccination rates among children 12–23 months old in poor households to a greater extent than for children from richer households. Thus, enhanced geographical access to and resourcing of frontline facilities is likely to expand not only immunization coverage, lower mortality and increase aggregate economic gains, but also improve the distribution of immunization coverage in PNG across socioeconomic groups.