GAVI support has prevented five million future deaths, with more children than ever being immunised
By ensuring that previously underused vaccines are now part of low-income countries' routine immunisation programmes, GAVI has prevented more than five million future deaths in just 10 years and pushed global immunisation coverage to its highest-ever level.
Additional 288 million immunised
From 2000-2010, according to WHO figures, the Alliance's financial support - US$ 5.7 billion in 10 years - has helped immunise 288 million children, who might otherwise not have had access to vaccines. This figure includes:
- 267 million children protected against hepatitis B;
- 91 million children immunised against Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), the cause of deadly forms of meningitis and pneumonia;
- 41.6 million children who have received yellow fever vaccine.
In addition, a series of one-off investments in vaccines that are not part of GAVI's regular programme - measles, polio, tetanus - have prevented another 1.4 million future deaths.
GAVI's impact on public health extends beyond immunisation statistics. The introduction of these vaccines have also protected millions more people against debilitating illness and disability - critical factors in the fight against poverty.
Future impact, 2011-2015In the next five years, with full funding and by targeting the vaccines that hold the greatest potential to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, GAVI can avert an additonal four million future deaths and protect the health of 243 million additional children, including:
90 million children against pneumococcal disease - the leading cause of pneumonia;
50 million children against rotavirus, the main cause of diarrhoea;
230 million children with the 5-1 pentavalent vaccine; 65 million children against yellow fever.
Provide support for new vaccines against meningitis A, HPV, rubella, typhoid and Japanese encephalitis;
Further strengthen routine immunisation programmes and health services for women and children. |
Highest immunisation rates in history
WHO and UNICEF also attribute the steady climb in global immunisation coverage seen in the last decade to the work of GAVI.
Prior to the foundation of GAVI in 2000, the percentage of children in an annual birth cohort receiving three doses of the combined diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccine (DTP3) in low-income countries stood between 60 and 65 percent in low-income countries.
In 2010, the equivalent figure had risen to 79 - just three percentage points below the global average and their highest level in history.
According to the State of the world's vaccines and immunisation (2009), more children are being immunised than ever before and the reversal of the 1990s global decline in immuniation coverage is "directly attributable to the efforts of developing countries making good use of support provided by the GAVI Alliance and partners."
