Vaccine introduction grants and operational support for campaigns policy

The introduction of a new vaccine into a country’s routine immunisation system requires careful planning and preparation. GAVI provides a cash grant to countries ahead of each new vaccine introduction in order to support important activities before the launch.

GAVI also provides support for the delivery of campaigns. These two types of grants represent one-time GAVI investments expected to cover a share of necessary activities with the remainder being funded by the Government and partners, if necessary.

What is the purpose of GAVI’s vaccine introduction grants?

The aim of GAVI’s vaccine introduction grant is to facilitate the timely and effective implementation of critical activities in the national vaccine introduction plan in advance of a new vaccine introduction. The grant is mostly used by countries to support a share of the cost of pre-introduction activities such as health worker training, information, education and communication (IEC) and social mobilisation, expansion or rehabilitation of some cold chain equipment and additional vehicles, or technical assistance.

What is the purpose of GAVI’s operational support for campaigns?

Besides funding the vaccines for large scale campaigns, GAVI provides cash support to help countries cover a share of the operational cost for delivering these campaigns. The aim of this type of support is to facilitate the timely and effective delivery of vaccines to the target population.

In addition to the pre-introduction activities outlined above, countries can use this allocation to pay for health workers and supervisor per diems, volunteer incentives, additional cold chain equipment, transport, monitoring and evaluation and civil society organisation and/or volunteer incentives for social mobilisation.

How much support does GAVI provide?

When is the policy applied and how does it work?

The policy is applied to all new introductions of GAVI supported vaccines into a country’s routine immunisation system and to all GAVI supported campaigns. Countries apply for these grants as part of their normal application for vaccine support to GAVI. Countries provide a budgeted plan of the specific activities to be funded with this money and must report on the use of the grants in their annual progress reports to GAVI.

After approval for support, a country may be requested or wish to change the original formulation and/or presentation of a vaccine containing the same antigen(s). To facilitate transition to a new product, countries can apply for a small additional grant (one third of an introduction grant) if specific criteria are met.

All grants are subject to fiduciary oversight measures as per GAVI’s Transparency and Accountability Policy.

When was the policy approved and when will it be updated?

GAVI has disbursed vaccine introduction grants since 2001. The policy was first reviewed and revised in 2007. Based on a second review in 2011/2012, the GAVI Board approved the new vaccine introduction grant and operational support for campaigns policy in June 2012. The new policy comes into effect as of September 1, 2012, and will apply to all new vaccine introductions and campaigns taking place after this date. The next full review of the policy is scheduled for 2017.