Time flies with great content! Renew in to keep enjoying all our premium content.
Global vaccine group misses funds target by Sh375bn
Gavi has helped Kenya introduce vaccines such as pentavalent, pneumococcal, rotavirus, HPV and Covid-19, as well as improving cold chain infrastructure and health worker training.
Global vaccine group Gavi is seeking to secure Sh374.9 billion ($2.9 billion) from donors to cover a funding shortfall for its ambitious plan, to immunise 500 million children in the countries it supports, including Kenya.
Overall, the group was aiming to have Sh1.5trillion ($11.9 billion) for its work from 2026 to 2030 and wanted to raise at least Sh1.2trillion ($9 billion) at the Global Summit on Health and Prosperity through Immunisation in Brussels on Wednesday without leftover money.
The funding gap remains despite a strong showing at the health summit, where donors pledged over Sh1.2 trillion ($9 billion) towards Gavi's Sh1.5 trillion ($11.9 billion) target for its upcoming five-year strategy, known as Gavi 6.0.
Gavi 6.0's key areas of focus are protecting 500 million children through routine immunisation, preventing eight to nine million future deaths, enhancing pandemic preparedness with vaccine stockpiles for cholera, monkeypox, and Ebola, promoting equitable access to vaccines —particularly for the world's poorest and remote communities, and unlocking an estimated $100 billion in global economic benefits.
Kenya has been part of Gavi since 2001, strengthening its immunisation programme and expanding access to critical vaccines.
Gavi has helped Kenya introduce vaccines such as pentavalent, pneumococcal, rotavirus, HPV and Covid-19, as well as improving cold chain infrastructure and health worker training.
Kenya is now in the co-financing phase, gradually increasing its contributions towards vaccine procurement as it works towards achieving full self-sufficiency.
"As Gavi enters a new strategic period, a time of radical change in the way we support countries and collaborate with partners, we can do so with confidence, knowing that our donors, Gavi countries, the private sector, and all stakeholders are with us as we build a healthier, more prosperous future," Sania Nishtar, Gavi's Chief Executive Officer.
The fundraising event drew representatives from 55 countries, with the United Kingdom pledging the most at $1.7 billion, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation committing $1.6 billion, strengthening its position as a key supporter of Gavi.
“I don’t know of anything with a higher impact per dollar in terms of saving and improving lives. Gavi is one of the best investments I’ve ever made —and one of the best investments countries can make today for the future of the world,” said Bill Gates, chair of the Gates Foundation.
However, in the latest development, the US has announced that it will halt its financial contributions to Gavi, bringing to an end over two decades of support totalling more than $8 billion since 2001.
