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Gavi, Mastercard join forces to reach more children with lifesaving vaccines
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and Mastercard announced today a new transformative partnership to ensure more children from the poorest countries are able to benefit from life-saving immunisation programmes. At a high-level conference for Gavi’s 2018 mid-term review, it was noted that although major progress has been made to increase immunisation rates, one in five children in Gavi-supported countries are still not reached with basic lifesaving vaccines. In many developing countries, common barriers may include a lack of information about a child’s immunisation record and limited means by which to remind care givers about follow up appointments. This partnership will leverage Mastercard expertise and technology, enabling ministries of health and authorised health workers to provide a card with a digital immunisation record, to each participating child’s caregiver. By empowering caregivers to stay on track to receive critical vaccinations, the programme aims to strengthen the efficiency and reach of health services in developing countries where children are most at risk of missing out on immunisation. Governments will benefit from having a better understanding of the immunisation needs of their communities.
"Access to services like healthcare and education are vital to helping families build a promising future. By applying our technology to humanitarian and development challenges, we can help optimise and scale life-saving programmes in underserved communities around the world," said Michael Froman, vice chairman and president of strategic growth at Mastercard.
"Children, especially those living in the most remote, impoverished communities, lack immunisation records," said Dr. Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. "That represents an enormous impediment to Gavi’s mission of ensuring that every child worldwide receives the essential vaccines they need to survive and thrive. This partnership with Mastercard has the potential to overcome that challenge."
The partnership aims to be implemented across five countries over the next two years with the goal of expanding the solution to all other interested Gavi-supported countries, based notably, on mutually agreed targets being met.
Gavi’s mid-term review, held in Abu Dhabi, is a high-level conference celebrating Gavi’s progress and impact in the world’s poorest countries. By the end of 2018, Gavi will have contributed to the immunisation of 700 million people and the prevention of more than 10 million future deaths. These efforts have contributed to an acceleration in the decline of global under-five mortality rates and brought wider impact beyond immunisation.
As well as reviewing progress made since the last Gavi replenishment in Berlin in 2015, this high-level conference is also an opportunity to shape Gavi’s future and help overcome the challenges preventing children from receiving the full course of recommended vaccines. This cost effective and high impact intervention is core to primary health care and provides a robust platform to deliver better health for all.
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