GAVI Alliance’s CEO looks forward to working with the French Minister for Development to improve maternal and child health.

Pascal Canfin - Seth Berkley

GAVI CEO Seth Berkley (left) pictured with the French Minister for Development, Pascal Canfin at their meeting in Paris.

Geneva, 31 July 2012 – During his meeting Monday 30th July in Paris, with the French Minister for Development, Pascal Canfin, Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of the GAVI Alliance, has welcomed France’s interest in global health.

“We are extremely grateful to France for its support in our objective to immunise more than 250 million children by 2015,” said Dr Berkley.

Major contributor

France has been a major contributor to the GAVI Alliance since 2003. In June 2011, France announced an additional commitment of 100 million euros for 2011-2015, becoming the fourth largest contributor of GAVI. From 2007 to 2026, its commitment will reach 1.3 billion euros through innovative finance mechanisms such as the solidarity tax on airline tickets and the International Finance Facility for immunisation (IFFIm). 

More than 5.5 million deaths averted

“Vaccination saves lives and protects health. But a child still dies from a preventable disease every 20 seconds” said Dr Berkley. Since 2000, countries have been funded by GAVI to immunise more than 325 million children and more than 5.5 million deaths have been averted.

During this meeting, it was underlined that particular attention should be paid to the most vulnerable communities, and especially to children, who, regardless of their social, economic background, or geographic location, are all entitled to preventive care and immunization.

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