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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Countries approved for support in earlier rounds
will be notified and additional support allocated on a retroactive
basis.
- 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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