4th Global Meeting on Implementing New and Under-utilized Vaccines, 23-25 June 2010
Workgroup 3. Planning and financing for immunization
Background
By raising significant additional new resources for immunization and focusing on the world’s poorest countries, it is estimated that over five million future deaths have been averted through GAVI support in the first decade of the Alliance and, based on rigorous country demand projections, there is the potential to significantly increase that number in the next five years. However, GAVI faces the challenge of a $2.6 billion funding gap. A number of decisions were taken by the GAVI Board in November 2009, including a "pause" on decisions to country proposals recommended for approval by the Independent Review Committee (IRC), a revision of the current eligibility to a GNI of < USD 1,500 using World Bank data and applying a new vaccines application filter of DTP3 coverage >70%. GAVI’s ambition is to complete the introduction of pentavalent vaccines and to roll out pneumococcal, rotavirus and Meningococcal A vaccines in line with country demand. In addition, there is the anticipated demand for the vaccines prioritised as part of GAVI’s Vaccine Investment Strategy: HPV, Japanese encephalitis, rubella, and typhoid.
GAVI has confirmed sufficient funding to honor all existing commitments through to 2015. However, its ability to take on more in the next strategy period 2011-2015 remains questionable.
Main Topics of Discussion
- Resource mobilization plans under way by GAVI to address funding gaps in meeting country demand – October 2010 Replenishment Meeting
- Improvement of efficiencies through a new Business Plan 2011-12, improved forecasting and stock management
- Need to engage other potential donors and private philanthropy
- Be more "dramatic" in advocacy efforts
- Work towards new ways of interacting between the EPI and MoF, better "sell" new vaccines as part of the approaches needed to achieve MDGs and improvements in child health
- Parliamentarians "trust" the EPI manager's technical capacity – want to see summaries, not detailed C/E analyses
- 30 USD/FIC as benchmark for immunization
- Country experiences in co financing the introduction of new vaccines
- Country strategies for leveraging additional national financing for immunization
Recommendations
- The NUVI community needs to become more efficient, engage other groups
- Need to be more dramatic in demonstrating the impact of immunization in our advocacy efforts
- Resource mobilization efforts required by ALL
- EPI Managers to act as advocates to parliament and provide regular briefings for non-state actors and the press
- Continue to support country with high level advocacy efforts for immunization planning and financing
- Initiate more peer exchanges among countries on options and processes leveraging additional resources for immunization such as solidarity levies, debt swaps and other approaches
- Despite financial situation, countries remain committed and are proactively planning for new vaccine introductions in 2011 and beyond, recognizing their importance for achieving MDGs