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Immunization Focus
July 2002
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SPECIAL FEATURE
Advocacy for financial sustainability
Heidi Larson, Senior Communications Adviser at UNICEF and Chair of the
GAVI Advocacy Task Force, sets out some key principles
Advocacy is winning the support of key constituencies in order to
influence policies and spending, and bring about social change.
Successful advocates usually start by identifying the people they need
to influence and planning the best ways to communicate with them. They
do their homework on an issue and build a persuasive case. They organize
networks and coalitions to create a groundswell of support that can
influence decision makers
(1)
While accurate financial sustainability plans with a clear understanding
of financial gaps are crucial to mobilizing adequate and sustainable
resources for immunization, they are not enough. Decision makers who
determine budgets for vaccines and immunization services need to be
aware of the importance and value of vaccines as a crucial,
cost-effective investment so that they commit needed budgets, with
adequate long-term planning to ensure uninterrupted supplies of
vaccines. They also need to know the public health risks of a vaccine
programme running out of resources.
In order to advocate and plan for financial sustainability, clear and
concise information is needed on why a country should invest in
immunization. Information on how that investment can help to strengthen
an overall health system is valuable fuel for advocacy, as is evidence
on the impact of immunization in reducing disease burden.
Good advocates also need to know who they have to influence, and
understand the environment and language to build an argument that will
appeal to that particular person or constituency. While there will be
some key messages that will be relevant to everyone, the way in which
messages are delivered will likely need to vary – depending on the
audience – in order to be effective. What matters to a minister of
finance will be different from what matters to a minister of health.
Decision makers need to be persuaded that immunization, in the context
of other competing demands, is critical and supportive of other health
and development concerns.
In order to ensure that financial commitments will prove sustainable,
the plans need to be widely owned. Broad participation in the planning
process is essential to ownership of the plans – and provides a wider
base of support to ensure that the plans are realized. Remember that
advocacy for financial sustainability is an ongoing process which will
need continual effort. The more people who own and believe in the need
for adequate resources for immunization, the more likely the needs will
be met.
Reference
1. TB Advocacy: a practical guide. WHO Global TB Programme. Geneva 1999
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