Fulgence Niyibitegeka Presents Research on Global Vaccine Equity at the BactiVac Annual Meeting

Fulgence Niyibitegeka, PhD candidate with the Economics of Global Health and Infectious Diseases Unit, was awarded a highly competitive BactiVac travel grant to attend and present at the BactiVac Annual Meeting held in Birmingham, United Kingdom.

At the meeting, Fulgence presented findings from his doctoral research in a poster examining the implications of current global pricing policies for new vaccines, using pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) as a case study. His work demonstrates how the existing global pricing structure leads to an unequal distribution of economic benefits, with high-income countries receiving a disproportionate share of the gains compared with low- and middle-income countries—despite the latter experiencing a higher burden of pneumococcal disease. These results highlight the urgent need for more equitable vaccine pricing and procurement mechanisms to ensure that the benefits of vaccination are shared more fairly worldwide.

Attendance at the BactiVac Annual Meeting provided valuable opportunities for scientific exchange and professional development. Fulgence engaged with leading researchers, policymakers, and product developers working across bacterial vaccinology and global health. Discussions throughout the meeting offered fresh perspectives on vaccine development pipelines, global financing mechanisms, and equity-focused policy reforms—insights that will meaningfully strengthen the ongoing direction and impact of his PhD research.