Helping Countries to Prepare for New Vaccine Introductions

The Challenge

Low and lower-middle income countries are behind in introducing new and under-utilized vaccines that can save lives and prevent disease in millions of children worldwide. The GAVI Alliance has been catalytic in helping countries adopt vaccines such as the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine and rotavirus vaccine, among others, but the process of introducing these products into already stressed immunization systems remains a challenge. Countries must invest in expanding their cold-chain, retraining their health workforce, mobilizing local communities and planning new product introduction into their supply and logistical frameworks. To help them prepare, the GAVI Alliance provides a flexible vaccine introduction grant that supports some of these activities, but the Alliance has decided to take a close look at ways to improve this grant program to help maximize its impact.

The Opportunity

GAVI commissioned the Results for Development Institute (R4D) to assist the GAVI Secretariat in reviewing its new vaccine introduction grant policy. Over the course of the study, the R4D team will perform financial analyses and engage with technical experts and immunization managers within GAVI countries to evaluate the grant’s strengths and identify areas for improvement. The team, led by R4D expert Helen Saxenian, will help draft a set of forward looking options to ensure that the grants provide sufficient funding and stimulate rapid and effective vaccine introduction and uptake.

Our Work

The R4D team will contribute to three papers, two for the Policy and Performance Committee and the third for the Board of the GAVI Alliance, laying out options to revise the Vaccine Introduction Grant policy.

Topics:

Funders:

Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance

Status:

Closed

Global & Regional Initiatives

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