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New York, 22 September 2010 - We are delighted to see Japan's new US$ 5 billion five-year global health policy and we look forward to working with the Japanese government in a global partnership to protect poor children's lives through the power of life-saving vaccines.
We at the GAVI Alliance are extremely grateful to the support received over the years from tens of thousands of ordinary Japanese people. Julian Lob-Levyt, CEO, GAVI Alliance |
The power of life-saving vaccines
Boosting the use of new and under-used vaccines in the world's poorest countries, the GAVI Alliance has immunised more than 257 million children against life-threatening diseases and prevented 5.4 million premature deaths over the past decade.
Between 2010 and 2015, GAVI aims to spend US$ 7 billion on immunisation and health systems support programmes, of which 80 percent will go to vaccines.Some US$ 2.7 billion of this amount is already assured, but the GAVI Alliance is still looking for US$ 4.3 billion in new donor contributions.
If all our programmes are fully funded, GAVI will help developing countries immunise more than 240 million children by 2015 to prevent a further 4.2 million future deaths and make a significant contribution to MDG4, a two thirds reduction of child mortality between 1990 and 2015.
Support from Japan
We at the GAVI Alliance are extremely grateful to the support received over the years from tens of thousands of ordinary Japanese people, more than half of them women, who have invested some US$ 1.3 billion (112 billion Yen at current rates) in bonds that finance our work.
The bonds were issued by the International Finance Facility for Immunisation (IFFIm) in six uridashi issuances, the most recent of which took place in June this year.
Besides opening its financial markets to the IFFIm, Japan has been a leader in global immunisation including the Children's Vaccine Initiative. We are also impressed by Japan's work at field level and the active involvement of Japanese civil society organisations.
With Japan's new global health policy, the GAVI Alliance is excited at the prospect of extending our relationship further with the people and government of Japan.
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About Japans' new Global Health Policy for 2011-2015: Aimed at accelerating reductions in mother, child, and infant mortality, Japan's new policy was announced by Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan during a speech in New York at the UN global summit on poverty reduction, as measured by the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
This comprehensive policy includes interventions such as immunisation and a stronger partnership with the GAVI Alliance.