Vaccine distribution chains in low- and middle-income countries: A literature review

Access to immunization varies greatly across the world. In order to increase vaccine coverage, the required vaccines need to be able to reach the targeted population. However, in low- and middle-income countries, this often turns out to be a challenging task. This article provides a literature review on vaccine distribution chains in low- and middle-income countries and consists of two main parts. The first part elaborates on the characteristics and challenges inherent to such distribution chains. In order to obtain a complete overview, both quantitative and qualitative papers are included. In the second part, relevant operations research and operations management literature is structured according to seven classification criteria: decision level, methodology, part of the vaccine distribution chain modelled, uncertainties and characteristics covered, performance measures, real-life applicability, and countries and vaccines covered. Throughout these classifications, a comparison is made between the issues reported in practice and those investigated in the operations research and operations management literature. Based on this analysis, we identify trends and conclude that several gaps exist, providing a promising avenue for future research.