Addressing Structural Barriers to Childhood Vaccination in Underserved Communities: Insights from Co-Designed Interventions (Monica Lakhanpaul)

The presentation was delivered and recorded during the 10th Lifecourse Prevention Summit 2025

In this briefing, Monica Lakhanpaul draws on her experience working with underserved communities across the UK and internationally to examine why structural and practical barriers — including cost, transport, bureaucracy, and inflexible service design — prevent many families from accessing vaccination. She argues that health systems have been designed for the convenience of providers rather than the needs of families, and that expecting people to navigate complex systems while managing poverty, housing insecurity, and language barriers is a fundamental failure of policy.

Lakhanpaul calls for a shift toward community-led approaches, including community navigators, co-created solutions, and cross-sector collaboration, and emphasizes that listening to communities — rather than designing interventions for them — is the essential first step. Her central message is that no parent wants their child to come to harm, and that low vaccination uptake reflects system failures, not individual failings. This session further explores the subject in depth, highlighting key takeaways, implications for policy and practice, and insights from the expert presenter to help inform future strategies.