Fourth GAVI Board Meeting, Noordwijk, The Netherlands, 19 November 2000

Country review process and recommendations for approval of second-round countries

Dr Viroj Tangcharoensathien, Chair of the Independent Review Committee, and committee members Dr Maria Otelia Costales and Dr Abdallah Bchir, presented the outcome of the second review of country proposals to GAVI and the Vaccine Fund. The report (Word – 198k) included country-by-country recommendations, overall policy considerations and suggestions for improving the process in future rounds.

The Board:

2.1 Commended the work of the Review Committee and its comprehensive and thoughtful responses to the country proposals.

2.2 Approved the recommendations of the Review Committee in regard to specific country proposals.

2.3 Approved the recommendation of the Review Committee that countries with less than 50% DTP3 coverage be eligible for Vaccine Fund support to cover the provision of yellow fever vaccine to infants on a case-by-case basis.

2.4 Recognized the Review Committee’s concern that high measles incidence, morbidity and mortality poses a serious challenge to the immunization programmes in many eligible countries.

2.5 Confirmed the need to maintain clearly-defined coverage eligibility criteria by which to assess country proposals and awards – for example, countries must have a minimum of 50% DTP3 coverage to qualify for support from the new and under-used vaccine sub-account (except for yellow fever vaccine, as noted in para. 2.3 above).

2.6 Agreed to UNICEF’s recommendation that the GAVI/Vaccine Fund proposal form be revised to include banking details for the transfer of funds from the Vaccine Fund Trust Account at UNICEF.

2.7 Endorsed the concept that support to immunization services in eligible countries (with <80% DTP3 coverage) would not end when countries reach 80%, but would continue for five years, as long as their coverage increases.

2.8 Recognized the need to identify ways for the Vaccine Fund to support low-income countries, such as Cuba, with relatively strong health and immunization systems, in order to meet the GAVI milestone of 80% coverage in all districts in 80% of countries.

2.9 Requested UNICEF and WHO to develop a draft GAVI strategy relating to countries in complex states of emergency (the draft to be submitted to the GAVI Board for consideration by 1 March 2001).

2.10 Requested the Task Force on Country Coordination to develop a draft GAVI strategy on capacity-building in countries (the draft to be submitted to the GAVI Board for consideration by 1 March 2001).