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Report on Pertussis Outbreak in Louisiana and Implications for Sustainable Development Goal 3

Executive Summary

An analysis of the 2025 pertussis (whooping cough) outbreak in Louisiana reveals significant delays in the public health response, contributing to a record number of cases and preventable infant fatalities. These events represent a substantial setback for the advancement of Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3), which aims to ensure good health and well-being for all. The delayed communication and vaccination promotion efforts directly undermine key SDG targets related to ending preventable child deaths, combating communicable diseases, and ensuring universal access to essential vaccines.

Public Health Response Timeline

The official response to the outbreak was marked by considerable delays between initial critical events and subsequent public health actions.

1. Late January: Two infants die from pertussis, the state’s first such deaths since 2018.
2. February 13: The Louisiana Surgeon General officially ends the state’s general promotion of vaccines and vaccination events.
3. February 17: Local media first report on the infant deaths.
4. March: Following inquiries from news organizations, the state health department initiates its first social media communications regarding the outbreak.
5. May 1: A statewide health alert is issued to physicians, more than three months after the initial deaths.
6. May 2: The department issues its first official press release on the outbreak.
7. May 14: Officials hold a press conference to address the pertussis situation.

Statistical Analysis and Impact on Vulnerable Populations

The outbreak’s impact, particularly on children, highlights failures in protecting vulnerable populations, a core tenet of SDG 3.

• Total Cases: As of September 20, 387 pertussis cases were recorded, surpassing the previous 35-year high of 214 cases in 2013.
• Hospitalizations: By mid-May, 42 individuals had been hospitalized.
• Impact on Infants: Over two-thirds of those hospitalized were infants under one year of age.
• Vaccination Status: Three-fourths of all hospitalized patients were unvaccinated, demonstrating a critical gap in preventative healthcare coverage.

Challenges to Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being

The handling of the Louisiana pertussis outbreak directly conflicts with several targets within SDG 3.

• SDG Target 3.2: End Preventable Child Deaths. The deaths of two infants from a vaccine-preventable disease represent a clear failure to meet this target. Experts noted that these deaths were a missed opportunity to communicate the serious health threat to children and mobilize a preventative response.
• SDG Target 3.3: Combat Communicable Diseases. The state’s record-breaking number of cases indicates a failure to effectively control the spread of a known communicable disease. A delayed response allowed the outbreak to escalate, moving the state further from the goal of ending such epidemics.
• SDG Target 3.8: Achieve Universal Health Coverage and Access to Vaccines. The decision to halt general vaccine promotion, coupled with the high rate of unvaccinated individuals among severe cases, points to significant barriers in ensuring access to essential vaccines. Effective public health strategy, a component of universal health coverage, requires proactive and consistent communication, which was absent in the initial months of the outbreak.

Expert Assessment

Public health experts characterized the delayed response as atypical and a missed opportunity to prevent further illness and death. According to Georges Benjamin, MD, of the American Public Health Association, pertussis is a preventable disease and such deaths warrant an immediate and robust response. The incident underscores that timely communication and sustained vaccination campaigns are fundamental to upholding public health and achieving global health objectives outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • The entire article focuses on a public health crisis: a record outbreak of pertussis (whooping cough), a preventable communicable disease. It discusses infant deaths, hospitalizations, vaccination rates, and the public health response, all of which are central to ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages. The article highlights failures in preventing disease and protecting vulnerable populations, particularly infants.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • Target 3.2: By 2030, end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age.
     • The article directly addresses this target by reporting that “two infants had died in the pertussis outbreak.” These were the “state’s first pertussis-related deaths since 2018.” Since pertussis is a vaccine-preventable disease, these deaths are considered preventable, making this target highly relevant.
   • Target 3.3: By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases.
     • The article describes a “record outbreak” of pertussis, a communicable disease. It states that by September 20, “the state had 387 pertussis cases in 2025, eclipsing the previous 35-year high.” This situation represents a failure to control a communicable disease epidemic, directly relating to this target.
   • Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.
     • The article implies a gap in achieving this target by noting that “three fourths of them [hospitalized] unvaccinated.” This points to a failure in ensuring access to or uptake of essential vaccines. Furthermore, the decision by the Louisiana Surgeon General to end the “state’s general promotion of vaccines and vaccination events” actively works against the goal of providing access to this essential health service.
   • Target 3.d: Strengthen the capacity of all countries, in particular developing countries, for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks.
     • The article highlights significant shortcomings in risk management and early warning. It details how “Louisiana officials waited 2 months… to encourage vaccination and more than 3 months to issue a statewide health alert.” This delay in communication and official response, despite infant deaths occurring in late January, demonstrates a weakness in the state’s capacity to manage a public health risk effectively.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicators for SDG 3

   • Infant Mortality Rate (related to Target 3.2): The article provides a direct measure of mortality by stating, “two infants had died.” This specific count of deaths from a vaccine-preventable disease serves as a direct indicator of failure to prevent child mortality.
   • Incidence of Pertussis (related to Target 3.3): The article provides precise data on the scale of the outbreak, noting “387 pertussis cases in 2025.” This number represents the incidence of the disease and can be used to measure the effectiveness of public health interventions aimed at ending communicable disease epidemics.
   • Vaccination Coverage (related to Target 3.8): The statistic that “three fourths of them [hospitalized for pertussis] unvaccinated” is a powerful implied indicator of low or inadequate vaccination coverage within the community. It measures the lack of access to or utilization of essential health services (vaccines).
   • Timeliness of Public Health Response (related to Target 3.d): The article implies an indicator for health emergency preparedness through its detailed timeline. The “3 months” delay between the first deaths and the statewide health alert is a qualitative indicator that measures the capacity for early warning and rapid response to a health crisis.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators’ to present the findings from analyzing the article.

Source: cidrap.umn.edu