Dr Cravioto, Chair of SAGE,
SAGE members,
Dear colleagues and friends,
Good morning, good afternoon and good evening.
It is my pleasure to welcome you to this meeting.
As you know, SAGE has traditionally been convened twice a year.
This year, you have already met eight times, and I'm glad to be welcoming you back for the ninth time, for an important agenda that includes the world’s first malaria vaccine.
It is quite likely there will be even more meetings before the year closes.
I therefore wish to start by acknowledging the invaluable contributions of SAGE and its working groups during this unprecedented year.
We have called on your time and expertise more than anyone imagined would be necessary.
And each time, you have delivered and remained committed
Thank you for your dedication, preparation, deliberation and advice.
Over the course of this week, you will examine key issues on COVID-19 vaccination and consider vaccines available for use at a global scale, with particular attention to vaccine equity.
The COVID-19 vaccination situation is improving slowly, with significant vaccine supplies expected for the last quarter of the year for middle- and low-income countries.
But the scale of what is needed is huge, in terms of numbers of vaccinators, engagement with communities, and ongoing monitoring and health systems strengthening.
And of course, COVID-19 is not the only health challenge we face.
Malaria continues to be a major public health problem, particularly in Africa, where it remains a primary cause of childhood mortality. More than 260 000 children die from malaria every year.
This meeting is historic, as you will be asked during a joint session with the Malaria Policy Advisory Group to provide recommendations on the first human vaccine to target a parasite.
More than 2 million doses of the RTS,S vaccine have now been administered in pilot programmes in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi, enabling more than 750 000 children to be vaccinated against malaria through routine child immunization services.
Your careful consideration of the data generated through these pilots, and other evidence on the vaccine that has become available since 2015, comes at a critical time.
Progress has stalled, and new tools are needed if we are going to substantially reduce malaria illness and death.
Your expert advice – based on sound science and country experience – will determine the future of this vaccine in immunization and malaria control programmes in Africa. I look forward to hearing the outcome of your deliberations.
2020 data show concerning trends in progress on vaccine coverage in most countries, largely due to COVID-19.
The Immunization Agenda 2030 provides a framework for countries to strengthen their immunization systems, improve resilience, and recover more swiftly from the pandemic.
You will also be discussing the novel oral poliovirus vaccine, which is an important new tool in the global effort to eradicate polio.
The evolving situation in Afghanistan will require us to continue and accelerate efforts towards polio eradication in a complex environment.
You will also look at how behavioural sciences contribute to better understanding drivers and obstacles for vaccine acceptance and uptake.
I thank all SAGE members and the working group members once again for your dedication and hard work. I also wish to express my gratitude to the MPAG and the joint approach that will be adopted later in the week in reviewing important evidence.
I wish you a successful meeting and I look forward to being briefed on your conclusions.
I thank you.