Statement by Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland,
Director General, World Health Organization and Chair of the GAVI
Board
"As Chair of the GAVI Board, I am thrilled to
see the investment of time and resources of all our partners coming
to fruition. GAVI was a dream to many of us. It was an ideal. Now,
it is happening. This week in Mozambique, children will be getting
immunized by the first shipment of vaccines supported by the Vaccine Fund for Children's Vaccines and put into action by the partners
in the alliance."
Since the funding guidelines were finalized and sent
out in May of last year, 47 countries have submitted proposals.
So far, 25 have been approved, representing a $375 million commitment
by GAVI over the next five years. If these countries reach their
targets, by 2005, an additional five million children will be reached
with routine immunizations and nearly 45 million more children will
be protected against hepatitis B.
GAVI has become a pathfinder, paving the way for other
innovative public private partnerships that increase access to important
health commodities and services. GAVI also seeks to address inequities
in health access, prioritizing access to vaccines for the poorest
countries. With this launch, I am confident that we are on our way
to attaining our goals."
For further information contact:
Jon Liden: Tel: +41 22 791 3982 or 791 2741
Gregory Hartl: Tel: +41 22 791 4458
Dr. Francisco Songane, Minister of Health, Mozambique
This is an important programme particularly
for its aims to diminish morbidity and mortality cased by
hepatitis B and its consequences, namely liver cancer. This
is a way public private partnership can contribute to the improvement
of the health of the population. The prevention of hepatitis B in
the country will ultimately contribute to our socio-economic development.
For further information contact:
Dr. Martinho Dgedge,
Ministry of Health
Tel: +258 1 421 738 or mobile +258 82 326 065
Jean-Jacques Bertrand, the OECD Industry representative
to the GAVI Board and Chairman and CEO, Aventis Pasteur
"This first shipment of vaccines to Mozambique
demonstrates that the global vaccine industry which develops and
manufactures vaccines is responsive to the healthcare needs not
only of the developed but also of the developing world. The delivery
of vaccines today also demonstrates to the private and the public
sectors the synergies that we can achieve when we work together
in public-private partnerships such as the Global Alliance for Vaccines
and Immunizations (GAVI)."
For further information contact:
Sophie Sebirot-Nossoff
Tel: 33-4-3737-7273 (FRANCE)
E-mail: sophie.sebirotnossoff@aventis.com
Return to 6 April
2001 Press Release: Africa Receives First Delivery of GAVI/Global
Fund Vaccines
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