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Fifth GAVI Board Meeting, 21-22 June 2001, London, England
June 2001
NEW GAVI
Policy
Vaccine Fund
supplemental assistance to support new vaccine introduction for
countries with >80% DTP3 coverage
BACKGROUND:
Country eligibility for support from the Vaccine Fund sub-accounts is
partly defined through the use of DTP3 immunization coverage as a proxy
indicator for the capacity of the national immunization programme to
introduce a new vaccine. Current policy determines that countries with a
DTP3 coverage above 80% at the time of approval for support from the new
and under-used vaccines sub-account are not eligible for support from
the immunization services sub-account.
The
rationale for this is the assumption that these countries, in light of
their high coverage, have the capacity and resources needed to introduce
a new vaccine in a safe and effective manner (i.e., apropriate logistics
and infrastructure, the means to train health workers, build public
awareness and secure demand for the new vaccine, and update reporting
tools and materials). It is also assumed that assistance through the
provision of vaccine from the Vaccine Fund will catalyze local
commitment and mobilize resources from government and ICC partners.
During the
initial period of GAVI country operations, several countries are
reporting resource problems in conjunction with the introduction of new
vaccines. The two main reasons for this are that (1) there is a greater
than anticipated need to upgrade the immunization delivery
infrastructure, such as replacing an ageing cold chain or training new
health staff; (2) it is difficult to make additional funding available
at local level in a timely manner, since the process of GAVI approval
and vaccine allocation occurs more rapidly than the mobilization of
additional funds from government and donors.
It is
therefore proposed that the Vaccine Fund allocate additional resources
to this group of countries to ensure safe and effective introduction of
new vaccines, in accordance with the following principles:
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The
Vaccine Fund will allocate a fixed amount of US$ 100,000 to all
countries with DTP3 immunization coverage above 80% upon approval for
support from the new and under-used vaccines sub-account.
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The aim of
this additional support from the Vaccine Fund is to bridge the
resource gap at the time of vaccine introduction and allow critical
activities in the national vaccine introduction plan to be conducted
in a timely manner. The government and ICC partners are expected to
make additional resources available to ensure safe and effective
introduction of vaccines nationwide.
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Disbursements will be taken at the global level from the immunization
services sub-account and will administratively be handled in a similar
manner as for other disbursements from this sub-account. The MOH and
ICC partners will be responsible for overseeing the use of these funds
for vaccine introduction activities.
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Countries
approved for support in earlier rounds will be notified and additional
support allocated on a retroactive basis.
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At
present, 20 Fund-eligible countries have a DTP3 coverage above 80%.
Assuming that all of these countries will be approved to introduce one
new vaccine, the proposed additional support could cost in the
vicinity of US$ 2 million.
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