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Add to Preferred SourcesThe Indo-Pacific region will have improved access to vaccines through Australia’s new pledge of $300 million to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
Gavi is a public-private partnership that provides access to vaccines for low-income countries. Over the past two decades, Gavi has supported 16 countries in the Indo-Pacific with more than US$3 billion in vaccine and health system support and has directly contributed to the health of over 318 million children in our region through immunisation.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison will announce Australia’s contribution to this global effort at the Global Vaccine Summit 2020. Australia welcomes the United Kingdom’s leadership in hosting the summit.
Gavi will invest US$800 million from 2021 to provide access to vaccines for 140 million children in the Indo-Pacific region over the next five years. In Indonesia, 4 million children will access pneumococcal vaccines at a quarter of the commercial cost. In Papua New Guinea, 400,000 children will access life-saving vaccines for the first time. Australia’s commitment, which draws on the existing development budget, will help to ensure that Gavi maintains a strong focus on our region.
In response to the disruption of COVID-19, Gavi will provide US$200 million to continue existing immunisation programs where possible, and coordinate catch-up immunisation campaigns once conditions allow. Gavi will also play a lead role in ensuring any future COVID-19 vaccine is affordable, available, and accessible to all countries — including in the Indo-Pacific.
Original source: DFAT
Published on 04 June 2020