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Marie-Josée Jacobs (left), Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, Luxembourg, sits next to Helen Evans, Interim CEO, GAVI, at the signing of Luxembourg's renewed commitment to GAVI and global immunisation. GAVI/2010/Jay Louvion.
Geneva, 27 October 2010 - Luxembourg signed an agreement with the GAVI Alliance on Wednesday to give € 4.1 million (US$ 5.7 million). This multi-year pledge will help protect millions of children against vaccine-preventable diseases.
The agreement to contribute € 820,000 per year between 2011 and 2015 was signed at the GAVI Alliance Secretariat in Geneva by Luxembourg's Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, Marie-Josée Jacobs, and GAVI's interim Chief Executive Officer, Helen Evans.
"We are pleased to be working with the GAVI Alliance to fund the routine immunisation of children," said Minister Jacobs. "GAVI's groundbreaking global immunisation programme represents excellent value for money in terms of results. Vaccination not only saves lives but also sets children up for a healthy future."
First 10 years
In its first 10 years, GAVI's support to developing countries resulted in the immunisation of 257 million children worldwide and prevented 5.4 million premature deaths, according to the World Health Organization.
Luxembourg has cooperated with GAVI since 2005. GAVI's support for immunisation and health system strengthening (HSS) is very much in line with Luxembourg's Health Sector Action Plan.
Through its public-private business model, the GAVI Alliance has contributed to the development of vaccines more appropriate for poor countries and at lower prices. For example, with increased competition since the launch of Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) in 2000, the price of hepatitis B vaccine has declined by 64%, from US$ 0.59 to US$ 0.20 per dose.
4.2 million deaths by 2015
GAVI's groundbreaking global immunisation programme represents excellent value for money in terms of results. Vaccination not only saves lives but also sets children up for a healthy future.
Marie-Josée Jacobs, Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, Luxembourg
If fully funded, GAVI expects to almost double the life-saving impact of its first decade and prevent a further 4.2 million deaths by 2015, helping to achieve UN Millennium Development Goal 4 - the reduction of under-five mortality by two-thirds by 2015.
"This welcome new multi-year contribution from Luxembourg represents a strong endorsement of our mission, which, for the next five years, is to immunise more than 240 million children," said Ms Evans.
"With a pledging conference set for June 2011, Luxembourg's early announcement is an example of long-term predictable funding so valuable to our mission. We very much hope that this donation will inspire many other donors to support our work," she added.
The GAVI Alliance needs to raise US$ 4.3 billion between now and 2015 if it is to satisfy country demand and introduce new vaccines to tackle the two biggest killers of children worldwide - pneumonia and diarrhoea.
Marie-Josée Jacobs (left), Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, Luxembourg, sits next to Helen Evans, Interim CEO, GAVI, at the signing of Luxembourg's renewed commitment to GAVI and global immunisation. GAVI/2010/Jay Louvion.
Geneva, 27 October 2010 - Luxembourg signed an agreement with the GAVI Alliance on Wednesday to give € 4.1 million (US$ 5.7 million). This multi-year pledge will help protect millions of children against vaccine-preventable diseases.
The agreement to contribute € 820,000 per year between 2011 and 2015 was signed at the GAVI Alliance Secretariat in Geneva by Luxembourg's Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, Marie-Josée Jacobs, and GAVI's interim Chief Executive Officer, Helen Evans.
"We are pleased to be working with the GAVI Alliance to fund the routine immunisation of children," said Minister Jacobs. "GAVI's groundbreaking global immunisation programme represents excellent value for money in terms of results. Vaccination not only saves lives but also sets children up for a healthy future."
First 10 years
In its first 10 years, GAVI's support to developing countries resulted in the immunisation of 257 million children worldwide and prevented 5.4 million premature deaths, according to the World Health Organization.
Luxembourg has cooperated with GAVI since 2005. GAVI's support for immunisation and health system strengthening (HSS) is very much in line with Luxembourg's Health Sector Action Plan.
Through its public-private business model, the GAVI Alliance has contributed to the development of vaccines more appropriate for poor countries and at lower prices. For example, with increased competition since the launch of Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) in 2000, the price of hepatitis B vaccine has declined by 64%, from US$ 0.59 to US$ 0.20 per dose.
4.2 million deaths by 2015
GAVI's groundbreaking global immunisation programme represents excellent value for money in terms of results. Vaccination not only saves lives but also sets children up for a healthy future.
Marie-Josée Jacobs, Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, Luxembourg
If fully funded, GAVI expects to almost double the life-saving impact of its first decade and prevent a further 4.2 million deaths by 2015, helping to achieve UN Millennium Development Goal 4 - the reduction of under-five mortality by two-thirds by 2015.
"This welcome new multi-year contribution from Luxembourg represents a strong endorsement of our mission, which, for the next five years, is to immunise more than 240 million children," said Ms Evans.
"With a pledging conference set for June 2011, Luxembourg's early announcement is an example of long-term predictable funding so valuable to our mission. We very much hope that this donation will inspire many other donors to support our work," she added.
The GAVI Alliance needs to raise US$ 4.3 billion between now and 2015 if it is to satisfy country demand and introduce new vaccines to tackle the two biggest killers of children worldwide - pneumonia and diarrhoea.