Foreign
THE Global Vaccine Impact Conference in Madrid was an important convening of global leaders to evaluate the past two years of implementation of the Vaccine Alliance’s five-year strategy against the complex backdrop of COVID-19, and to set out a strong new commitment to vaccination as Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance passed the mark of 1 billion children vaccinated since its founding in 2000.
The Conference, convened by Spain’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, saw health ministers from 17 Gavi implementing countries and officials from 23 donor countries renew their commitment to work together, build on the successes of the past two years, tackle ongoing challenges, and harness innovation and collaboration to unleash the power of vaccination.
This came as Gavi published its new Mid-Term Review report, Raising Generation ImmUnity, which looked at data from the first two years of the Alliance’s 2021-2025 strategic period.
The report charted progress against the 2019 Investment Opportunity and showed that the Vaccine Alliance is on track to meet the majority of the key commitments made to donors.
This includes supporting countries to immunise an additional 300 million children by 2025, saving more than seven million lives and generating economic benefits of US$ 80-100 billion. It also showed that countries are facing more challenges in transitioning out of Gavi support, for reasons that include the COVID-19 pandemic and other economic shocks. After a drop in routine immunisation during the pandemic, it also noted a recovery of vaccination in Gavi-supported countries in 2022, though more must be done to reach children who missed out during the pandemic.
“As co-hosts of the Gavi Mid Term Review, Spain has renewed its firm commitment to the Vaccine Alliance and to global health. Spain’s leadership role in Gavi is a testament of the solidarity and engagement both of the Spanish Government as well as of Spanish civil society,” said José Manuel Albares, Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation.
Against an increasingly complex operating environment for global vaccination, close to 250 participants from governments, international organisations, civil society and the private sector discussed the progress and challenges of the Alliance over the past two years and the areas requiring increased emphasis in the near future.
Health Ministers from Africa, Asia and Latin America spoke about their successes in working across the Vaccine Alliance to grow vaccination over the past two decades, but also challenges posed by the pandemic, by instability and by climate change. Along with private sector partners and civil society, attendees came together to stress the power of innovation and community engagement in reaching more children with life-saving vaccinations
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Tags: European Union and Cooperation José Manuel Albares
