Your Majesty the Queen of the Belgians,
Your Excellency Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission,
My brother Commissioner Andriukaitis,
President Kikwete,
Excellencies, distinguished guests, colleagues and friends,
First of all, I would like to say good morning, and I would like to thank my sister Henrietta for joining us virtually, and also for the excellent speech by President Juncker.
I offer my deep thanks to President Juncker for his leadership in hosting and coordinating this Summit.
I could see his passion, as he said, when we first met to discuss this Summit. He was so worried, because the headline of our meeting at that time was, “Children are dying in Europe because of preventable diseases.”
Thank you for your leadership, Mr President.
Vaccines, as you know, are one of the most powerful innovations in the history of medicine.
Smallpox is no more, thanks to vaccines.
Polio has been pushed to the brink of eradication, thanks to vaccines.
Once-feared diseases like diphtheria, tetanus, measles and meningitis are now easily prevented, thanks to vaccines.
And new vaccines are being developed to protect people against more diseases.
The new Ebola vaccine is playing a critical role in controlling the spread of the current outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as President Juncker said. I’d like to use this opportunity to thank the EU for its support on this.
The world’s first malaria vaccine is now being piloted in three African countries.
New vaccines against tuberculosis are showing promise, and researchers around the world are continuing the quest for a vaccine against HIV.
Vaccines are also a frontline defence against antimicrobial resistance.
In short, vaccination is a cornerstone of public health.
When we talk about the right to health, we are talking about the right to vaccines.
As I often say, there is no health for all without vaccines for all.
But the benefits of vaccines extend well beyond health.
They’re the foundation for individuals, families, communities and nations to flourish.
Vaccines help to interrupt the cycle that keeps children trapped in poverty. They enable children to grow and to learn.
They mean not only lives saved, but lives lived.
Here’s some great news: most children born around the world today will be vaccinated.
Every year, more than 116 million children are protected from deadly diseases in routine vaccination programmes.
This is a tremendous global achievement.
But these hard-fought gains are not enough. They can be easily lost.
Communities in countries around the world are waking up to this reality.
Because of low coverage nationally or in pockets within countries, measles outbreaks are spreading rapidly around the world.
The number of reported measles cases globally doubled last year from 2017, and the number of cases so far this year is already more than any year since 2006.
As you know, just last month, four European countries – including three EU Member States – lost their measles-free status. This is serious.
In some countries, vaccine hesitancy contributes to these outbreaks.
Vaccine misinformation can be as contagious and as dangerous as the diseases it helps to spread.
Falsehoods about vaccination have spread in developed countries in Europe, the U.S., Canada and others, but also in less developed countries like Pakistan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, jeopardizing the fight against polio, Ebola and other vaccine-preventable diseases.
Of course, we’re working with some social media outlets.
The recent announcements by Pinterest and Facebook that they will direct users to accurate and reliable information about vaccines is very welcome and a great start. More needs to be done, and we hope they will do more.
But although vaccine hesitancy is a serious issue, it’s not the main reason children miss out on vaccines.
It’s because they simply cannot access vaccines.
Globally, over 1 in 10 children born today do not receive basic vaccines.
Every year, 13 million children miss out altogether – they never receive a single vaccine dose.
Most unvaccinated children live in countries affected by poverty, conflict, migration and fragile health systems.
But in all countries of all income levels, it’s the poorest and most disadvantaged children who are most likely to miss out.
Mass urbanization, displacement, conflict, natural disasters and environmental disruption all exacerbate challenges to immunization, and create the conditions in which diseases spread.
So how can we make sure all children receive these life-saving and life-enabling products?
First, political commitment.
I know from my own experience in government that political commitment from the highest levels is essential for making progress.
In 10 days’ time, world leaders will gather at the United Nations General Assembly in New York for the first High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage.
This is an unprecedented opportunity to catalyse political commitment for health, including immunization.
The foundation of universal health coverage is primary health care, and one of the foundations of primary health care is vaccination.
Second, innovation.
There are still many diseases for which we need new vaccines, or better vaccines. There is lack of investment, as President Juncker said, in new vaccines.
But we also need innovation and research into how to deliver vaccines, how to make them fully accessible and desired.
And we need new ways of working together that meet the needs of people, especially in the most marginalized parts of our countries. These are the people who are typically most at risk of the diseases that vaccines prevent.
Third, partnership.
Expanding access to vaccines is not a job just for governments, or parents, or health workers, or UN agencies, but all of us.
Everyone here has a role to play – WHO, the EU, UNICEF, GAVI and all other partners. We all have comparative advantages to bring to the table.
This kind of partnership doesn’t just happen. It takes careful planning and coordination. That’s why we need a vision and strategy for immunization in the next decade through which we can align our efforts and maximize our impact.
Fourth, investment.
Vaccines cost money. Programmes cost money. Surveillance costs money. Research costs money.
Investments in each element of a strong immunization programme must be protected and grown if we are to reach the goals countries have set for themselves and the world.
Specifically, we stand on the threshold of a monumental achievement in public health: the eradication of polio.
We need sustained investment for this last mile.
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative pledging event in Abu Dhabi, UAE in November will be a critical moment for ensuring we have the resources we need to make polio history.
The replenishment of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance next year is equally important. I would like to use this opportunity to congratulate Gavi and my dear friend Dr Seth Berkley for the well-deserved Lasker award. Congratulations.
For almost 20 years, the Alliance has supported the immunization of more than 700 million children, and prevented more than 10 million deaths. This is big, but we’re saying not enough. That’s why we’re here today.
Now is not the moment to step back. Together, we must ensure Gavi is fully funded and can continue its life-saving work.
At the same time, we must find creative solutions to support countries who no longer receive Gavi support, but are falling behind in their immunization programmes.
We need healthy vaccine markets, that support sustainable, affordable and reliable access to vaccines, for all.
These are significant challenges. But none of them are insurmountable.
Political commitment. Innovation. Partnership. Investment.
These four must be our priorities.
Thank you once again, President Juncker, for your commitment and leadership.
I look forward to our continued collaboration with the EU and with all our partners. This is the first edition and we hope to continue subsequent editions.
Together, we can make sure that no child misses out on the life-saving power of vaccines.
See you at the next edition of this global summit.
Thank you. Merci beaucoup.