GAVI [to 2 May 2015]
http://www.gavialliance.org/library/news/press-releases/
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28 April 2015
More than two million Congolese children per year to be protected against polio
Democratic Republic of Congo to introduce Inactivated Polio Vaccine with Gavi and partners’ support.

Kinshasa, 28 April 2015 – More than two million children in the Democratic Republic of Congo will benefit from Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) every year as the country celebrates African Vaccination Week by introducing the vaccine into its routine immunisation schedule…

…The first doses of the vaccine will be delivered this month in four provinces (Bandundu, Bas Congo, Equateur and Kinshasa),a further four provinces (Kasaï Occidental, Kasaï Oriental, Katanga and Maniema) will introduce the vaccine in May and children in the final three provinces (North and South Kivu, Province Orientale) will receive the vaccine in June.

“As long as a child somewhere is not protected against this crippling disease, every child is at risk,” said Anuradha Gupta, deputy CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. “Gavi fully supports the government in its efforts to strengthen its immunisation system as high routine coverage establishes a strong base for population immunity to prevent polio outbreaks and builds a sustainable platform for the introduction of IPV and other lifesaving vaccines. Immunisation is not just about protecting children against a disease, it is about unlocking the productivity potential of individuals, communities and countries.”

Strong routine immunisation systems are critical to reach polio elimination targets and prevent thousands of cases of disease and death. The Democratic Republic of Congo, with support from its partners, has improved its routine immunisation coverage and seen the percentage of children receiving DTP3 (three doses of diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis) rise from 25% in 1999 to 72% in 2013. However, geographical challenges as well as conflicts and insecurity have resulted in large differences between provinces.

DRC has been polio-free since the end of 2011 but for many years it was among the most affected countries worldwide. The year before DRC was declared polio-free, 93 cases were recorded. The challenge now for the Congolese health system and other partners is to make sure that polio does not return, and increase routine immunisation coverage against other diseases…

:: Statement – Gavi’s relationship with India
Clarification from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance
Geneva, 30 April 2015 – Following a recent newspaper report regarding the relationship between Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and India, Gavi would like to clarify the following points:
An article published recently in an Indian newspaper stated that Gavi was withdrawing funding from India, thereby jeopardising the Government of India’s ongoing efforts to improve immunisation coverage. That is not the case.

Gavi remains a committed partner of India and we will continue to support the country in its endeavours to immunise more of its children against life-threatening diseases.
Thanks to its growing economy, India is projected to reach the threshold of US$ 1,580 Gross National Income per capita which means it has entered what is known as the ‘graduation’ phase in relation to Gavi support.

Over the next five years, Gavi and India will work together towards financing the introductions of some new vaccines and assuring that these will ultimately have budget provisions within the Government of India budget so that children in India continue to have access to vaccines for generations to come.

Gavi applauds the excellent work by the Government of India to improve immunisation coverage under Mission Indradhanush and its work to protect the lives of children living in 201 of the most at risk districts in the country.

Gavi’s work with India
Gavi currently supports pentavalent vaccine which offers protection against five diseases (diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP), hepatitis B, and Haemophilius influenzae type b) as well as providing funding to help India to strengthen its health systems.

Between 2000 and 2015, Gavi has disbursed more than US$ 240 million to help India to immunse its children against life-threatening diseases. Additionally, Gavi has committed $107 million to support health systems strengthening in India, which is likely to play a role in the success of Mission Indradhanush, over the next five years