A NEW WAY OF WORKING TOGETHER: THE GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR VACCINES AND IMMUNIZATION AND THE VACCINE FUND
Mark A. Kane, MD, MPH
Director
Bill and Melinda Gates Children's Vaccine Program
Program for Appropriate Technology in Health
Seattle, Washington
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Pediatricians understand that immunization is a cornerstone of pediatric practice and public health. However, 30 million children each year remain unvaccinated, millions more do not receive the benefits of important newer vaccines such as hepatitis B (HB) and Hib, and the vaccine industry does not invest adequately in vaccines important to the developing world that may not have lucrative industrial country markets (HIV, TB). There are three major reasons for this lack of access for the poor: lack of financial resources to buy newer vaccines, lack of delivery infrastructure in some countries to deliver vaccines to many children, and lack of local and global political will to make resources available and pressure countries to use them wisely.
The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) was established in 1999 as an alliance of WHO, UNICEF, World Bank, Bilateral Donors, industry, Foundations, and other partners to renew immunization for the 21st century by forging a common vision and new ways of working together at global, regional and national levels. In addition, a closely related Vaccine Fund has been established with a gift of $ 750 million from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The vaccine fund already has one billion dollars in assets and is attempting to raise one billion more. The Bill and Melinda Gates Children's Vaccine Program was also established, and has played a key role in the formation of GAVI and The Vaccine Fund. The Fund will buy HB vaccine, and Hib and YF (where appropriate), for children in the 74 poorest countries (GNP per capita < $1000) if those countries establish comprehensive multi-year immunization plans and National Immunization Coordinating Committees comprised of the Government and major Partners. Countries may also apply for support in strengthening immunization services, and in obtaining auto-disable syringes to make all immunizations safer. Already, 36 of the 74 countries have been approved for GAVI/Vaccine Fund support. Pediatricians can play a critical role in helping their countries use these unprecedented opportunities well. Pediatric professional associations need to become major partners in GAVI at local, regional and global levels.
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