Gavi CEO meets PM, discusses strategic partnership in vaccine

NEW DELHI: Gavi, a global vaccine alliance, proposes to have a new strategic partnership with India for 2016-2021, which will see further fund support of up to $500 million to accelerate the introduction of modern vaccines for all children in the country.

The issue was discussed when Chief Executive Officer of Gavi Seth Berkley met Prime Minister Narendra Modi here.

They discussed innovation in vaccines and implementation of childhood immunisation in India.

Berkley was appreciative of the new innovative government initiatives, such as 'Mission Indradhanush' and 'Make in India', both of which are improving childhood immunisation in India, a PMO statement said.

Mission Indradhanush reaches the unvaccinated children.

During the meeting, Gavi's proposed new strategic partnership with India for 2016-2021 was discussed, which includes India's forthcoming rollout of vaccines that will protect children against causes of the biggest childhood killers, pneumonia and diarrhoea, as well as others such as measles-rubella and cervical cancer vaccines, it said.

They also discussed affordability, quality assurance and sustainability as well as using environmentally-sustainable technologies such as solar to improve the vaccine cold chain, not just in India but in all developing countries.

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, is a public-private global health partnership committed to increasing access to immunisation in poor countries.

It brings together developing countries and donor governments, the WHO, UNICEF, the World Bank, the vaccine industry in both industrialised and developing countries, research and technical agencies, civil society, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other private philanthropists.