Media advisory

On Tuesday 27 September, the GAVI Alliance will make a major announcement about vaccines to protect children in Africa and other developing countries against diarrhoea and pneumonia -- the two biggest killers of children.

Funding for rotavirus vaccines in African countries, announced for the first time on Tuesday, in addition to the continuing rollout of pneumococcal vaccines across the developing world, is expected to have a major impact on child mortality and the health of future generations.

GAVI (the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation) will name dozens of developing countries approved to receive funding and support to introduce vaccines against rotavirus, pneumococcal disease and other child killers.

The GAVI Alliance invites you to join either an interactive webcast media briefing on Tuesday 27 September at 09:00 GMT (11:00am CEST) or an interactive teleconference media briefing at 15:00 GMT (1700pm CEST, 8:00 am PST, 11:00am EDT).  Same speakers but different times.

WHO:             Seth Berkley MD, CEO, GAVI Alliance

                       Dr.John Wecker, Director of Vaccine Access and Delivery, PATH

                       Other, TBA           

WHEN:           Tuesday, 27 September 2011 – pre-registration is required

                       Webcast at 09:00 GMT (11:00am CEST)

                       Teleconference at 15:00 GMT (1700pm CEST, 8:00 am PST, 11:00am EDT)   

MEDIA CONTACTS:  

Dan Thomas, +41 22 909 6524 and +41 79 251 8581 dthomas@gavialliance.org

Ariane Leroy, +41 22 909 6521 aleroy@gavialliance.org

WEBCAST DETAILS:

Webcast at 09:00 GMT (11:00am CEST) – pre-registration required.

This service is FREE and only requires a computer connected to the internet.

Apply to join here:  http://www.apo-opa.org/en/application?vc=GAVI

Technical contact: +41 22 534 96 97 – e mail: sec.sg@apo-opa.org

TELECONFERENCE DETAILS:

The GAVI Alliance invites you to join a teleconference at 15:00 GMT (1700pm CEST, 8:00 am PST, 11:00am EDT)

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Jon Summers, +1 202-607-8819 Jon.Summers@gmmb.com (Washington)

Dan Thomas, +41 79 251 8581 dthomas@gavialliance.org (Geneva)

RSVP:             

To receive the toll-free dial-in information and confirmation code, email Stephanie Snyder at Stephanie.Snyder@gmmb.com

Find out more about rotavirus disease and the vaccine:

http://www.who.int/nuvi/rotavirus/en/index.html

Find out more about GAVI and rotavirus vaccines:

http://www.gavialliance.org/support/nvs/rotavirus/

We will also issue a press release on Tuesday 27 September.

We very much hope you will be able to cover the story and encourage you to join one of these interactive media briefings.

The GAVI Alliance is a public-private global health partnership committed to saving children’s lives and protecting people’s health by increasing access to immunisation in poor countries. GAVI Alliance partners include developing country and donor governments, the World Health Organisation, UNICEF, the World Bank, the vaccine industry in both industrialised and developing countries, research and technical agencies, civil society, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other private philanthropists.