Developing countries make record demand for life-saving vaccines

A record 50 GAVI eligible countries have applied for vaccine funding from the GAVI Alliance during the organisation’s latest application round – the number of countries is nearly double the previous record in 2007 when 27 countries requested support to introduce new or underused vaccines. The increased demand highlights how developing countries are increasingly prepared to expand routine immunisation programmes and introduce new vaccines to save the lives of children and protect against illness and disability. Countries were able to apply for GAVI support for the introduction of pneumococcal, rotavirus, pentavalent, meningitis A, yellow fever, or measles second dose vaccines. Of the 75 funding applications that were submitted, the majority were for two vaccines that protect against the biggest causes of pneumonia and diarrhoea. “If we are able to fully fund these applications and support countries in the battle to fight these two killers, we can make a serious and positive impact on...