Describe the country planned distribution system

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Reference no: EM133513925

Assignment:

Describe whether the country's planned distribution system should maximize overall health, or focus mainly on equality of access with everyone having an equal opportunity to become vaccinated. How will vaccines be distributed, who should make the decision, and what criteria should be used?

Rather than attempting to address each question posed within the scenario, summarize and defend a general approach

Ethical Considerations in Vaccine Distribution

As the world takes measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, a major challenge looms... allocation decisions must be made as vaccines become available. Only a limited number of vaccines will become ready for distribution.

The Scenario

For this discussion forum, your task is to assume responsibility for a developing a plan for a hypothetical impoverished third world country in Sub-Saharan Africa that will receive enough vaccines for only 25% of the population. Consider how you will set the allocation priorities.

The epidemic in this particular country has overwhelmingly been driven by lack of available PPE and most people continuing to gather in groups. It started in pockets in the major city and large towns, and has spread largely through contact in the marketplaces. Although the region is still reporting fewer cases of COVID-19 than the rest of the world, the wide geographic spread of infection suggests a large number of unreported cases and deaths.

The rates of prevalence among men and women are roughly the same, and only 3% of the region's population is over age 65, the threshold for significantly higher risk of COVID-19-related complications and death. About 2/3 of reported cases are in the cities. The rest live in smaller towns, but there are now some confirmed COVID-19 cases in rural areas, as well. Prevalence at this time is about the same for the educated and the less educated and the better off and the less well-off economically.

The country has a terribly weak health system. There is one national hospital of "distinction", but it operates substantially below international standards. There are community health workers and a clinic for every 25,000 people, but the workers are not always at work as planned and they have only a few months of post-secondary school training.

In formulating your response to the discussion forum consider the following:

Who should get vaccinated first and who should make this decision?
Why should these people get them and other people NOT get them? On what basis did you decide who should get vaccinated?
It costs 1/3 more to vaccinate people in the small towns and countryside than it costs to reach people in the capitol city. What might that mean for the program?
In a small impoverished country, should the politicians, teachers, and doctors receive preference since they are better educated and more valuable to society? Or, should the workers whose production drives the meager economy receive priority?
How would you choose between an elderly diabetic and a middle-age father with a family of four who needs a vaccine to go back to work?
What about the politically powerful and wealthy people?
What about pregnant women?

Reference no: EM133513925

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