Geneva/Brasilia, 11 April 2024 – The Brazilian Ministry of Health (MoH) and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on vaccine production, innovation and global access. This strengthened partnership reaffirms both partners’ commitment to ensuring equitable access to life-saving vaccines. Gavi and Brazil will also promote integrating global health with other critical areas like finance, climate change and digital technology as part of the MoU.

Advancing vaccine production and equitable access is a priority for Brazil’s Ministry of Health. The Secretary of Science, Technology, Innovation and Health Economic-Industrial Complex, Carlos Gadelha, said: “Brazil is making strong investments in our Health Economic-Industrial Complex to prioritise the integration of public policies that promote social insertion, generate jobs and income, national sovereignty through local production capabilities and strengthening the Brazilian public health system, reducing the Brazilian dependence on medicines, vaccines and other imported health products.”

Marie-Ange Saraka-Yao, Gavi's Chief Resource Mobilisation & Growth Officer, who signed the MoU on behalf of Gavi, said: “As Gavi prepares to enter its new strategic period in 2026, we are aligned with Brazil’s vision of global cooperation and solidarity as key to reaching every child with immunisation and creating stronger health security architecture. This MoU will facilitate our collaboration towards equitable access to vaccines in support of achieving Universal Health Coverage and the health-related Sustainable Development Goals.”

The signing ceremony occurred during the 2nd technical meeting of the G20 Health Working Group (HWG) in Brasília, led by the MoH under Brazil’s G20 Presidency. The meeting is an opportune time to celebrate this partnership, as Brazil's Presidency has positioned health equity at the centre of its G20 agenda.

The G20 serves as an essential platform for addressing how to enhance preparedness for future pandemics by strengthening health systems and guaranteeing equitable access to vaccines. At the 2nd G20 HWG meeting, Gavi and MOH Brazil co-hosted an event on key success factors for local and regional production of vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics (VTD). This initiative is directed towards fostering sustainable production models resilient to shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic, aiming to ensure equitable access to vaccines.

Brazil and Gavi’s partnership dates to 2006, when Brazil first pledged a regular contribution to Gavi through the International Finance Facility for Immunisation (IFFIm) as the first Latin American donor. In addition, the country supplies yellow fever vaccines to Gavi through Bio Manguinhos, a strategic product that helps prevent outbreaks in Gavi-supported countries. With the new MoU, Gavi and Brazil enter a new phase of this partnership by working together to ensure the world has equitable access to routine immunisation as well as to be better prepared for future disease outbreaks with life-saving vaccines through local and regional production, contributing to the diversification of the global vaccine production.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Gavi

Meg Sharafudeen
+41 79 711 55 54
msharafudeen@gavi.org

Eunice Kilonzo-Muraya
+41 76 424 85 03
ekilonzo@gavi.org

MoH Brazil
(61) 3315-3580
(61) 99215-4579
imprensa@saude.gov.br

Address
Esplanada dos Ministérios - Bloco G, Edifício Sede 
CEP: 70058-900 - Brasília/DF

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