Tuesday, June 22, 2010

GAVI says it needs 4 billion dollars by 2015

The Global Alliance of Vaccines and Immunization is warning against cutting money for giving vaccines to the under-developed world. GAVI says that it needs 4 billion dollars through 2015 to continue it's work of providing low coast vaccines.

From the BBC, we read more about the statement from GAVI.

Many developing countries now have, with foreign assistance, built up the infrastructure so that routine immunisations can now be offered to up to 80% of the world's poorest children.

Gavi, a public-private partnership which draws together organisations including the World Health Organization and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, as well as the vaccine industry, is now trying to secure funding for 15 countries to add further vaccines to those existing programmes.

These include immunisations against pneumococcal disease - the most common form of bacterial pneumonia - and rotavirus - the most common cause of diarrhoea.

"Children have a right to health and we have it in our power to set them on a path to healthy and productive lives. There comes a time to stop talking and start doing. I sincerely hope that we will see donors put their money on the table," said the chair of the Gavi board, Mary Robinson.

"Without this funding for immunisation, the world will not reach Millennium Goal 4 to reduce under-five mortality by two-thirds by 2015," she said.

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