By working together, the International Geneva health community can help protect the lives of millions of poor children by ensuring they have access to immunisation.
Despite remarkable progress made by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance in helping to immunise half a billion children since 2000, nearly one-in-five children are still missing out, such that every year, 1.5 million die from vaccine-preventable diseases.
This Vaccine Alliance – created by a group of bold individuals – helped to arrest declining immunisation rates by coalescing the strengths of WHO, UNICEF, the World Bank, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and others to achieve what no single agency could. Like Gavi, each is based or has frequent work in Geneva. Working closely with them, Gavi brought new and underused vaccines to the remotest parts of the world, saving 7 million lives. But children still are dying, and we must remain bold.
When Gavi recently analyzed how to expand vaccine coverage – the challenge of our 2016-2020 programme – countries told us they need enough vaccine to reach 300 million children. To achieve this, Gavi needed another US$ 7.5 billion from donors. There was much hesitation to make this ask, given the global economic climate. Should we reduce our request to a “digestible” amount, cutting programmes that save children’s lives?
My advice as Chair was simple: Be bold. Do not compromise with the health of children. Vaccines are a best buy in public health, offering a lifetime of protection. They help cut healthcare costs, keep children in school and boost productivity. Full funding of vaccine programmes could unlock US$ 100 billion in economic benefits.
Most important, immunising children is the right thing to do. With full funding, Gavi could increase to 50% from 5% the number of children who receive all 11 vaccines recommended by WHO, saving 5 million to 6 million more lives.
At our pledging conference, January 27th in Berlin, donors gathered to announce their support for Gavi’s 2016-2020 programme. Through a remarkable last push led by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Gavi ended the day with US$ 7.539 billion in pledges. We made a bold request; donors exceeded our every hope.
With such confidence from donors comes responsibility. By continuing to be bold we can reach the unreached, and give the world’s children a chance to live to their full potential.
Written by Dagfinn Høybråten, Chair of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance