Country Leap into Action: Advancing country-led global health architecture reform

Geneva, 21 May 2026 – Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi) has welcomed ministerial support of a set of actions to advance a country-led, simplified and more efficient system for global health. 

On the sidelines of the World Health Assembly, 14 ministers and country representatives affirmed a common vision for reform that places countries at the centre of the global health architecture – prioritising national ownership and decision-making, strengthening self-reliance, and ensuring global and regional partners operate within clearly defined, complementary roles. Gavi also unveiled its Country Leap into Action Statement, which outlines concrete steps to accelerate progress toward these goals.

Over the last 20 years, major health gains have been achieved through expanded access to immunisation, with Gavi helping to reach over 1.2 billion children, contributing to more than 20 million lives saved. In the future, further progress will be unlocked through countries driving immunisation strategies according to their own national priorities and funded increasingly through domestic resources.

Guided by the Gavi Leap principles of country-centricity, country self-reliance, focused mandates and finite institutional lifespans, Country Leap into Action highlights five priority actions to drive this transformation:

  • Putting countries at the centre of all support, with national plans guiding financing and implementation
  • Advancing country self-reliance through stronger domestic capacity, financing, and decision-making authority
  • Defining clearer mandates and ensuring better coordination across global and regional partners
  • Supporting time-bound institutional roles that enable sustainable country transition
  • Driving simplification at the last mile, where fragmentation is most acutely felt

Together these actions chart a shift from fragmentation to coordination, from dependency to self-reliance, and from institution-driven systems to delivery that puts people first – grounded in the conviction that reform centred on country sovereignty is possible, at pace and at scale. Over the coming months, Gavi and its partners will work with Ministers and country representatives to translate this ambition into lasting impact.

Notes to Editors

About Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance is a public-private partnership that helps vaccinate more than half the world’s children against some of the world’s deadliest diseases. The Vaccine Alliance brings together developing country and donor governments, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank, the vaccine industry, technical agencies, civil society, the Gates Foundation and other private sector partners. View the full list of donor governments and other leading organisations that fund Gavi’s work here.

Since its inception in 2000, Gavi has helped to immunise a whole generation – over 1.2 billion children – and prevented more than 20.6 million future deaths, helping to halve child mortality in 78 lower‑income countries. Gavi also plays a key role in improving global health security by supporting health systems as well as funding global stockpiles for Ebola, cholera, meningococcal and yellow fever vaccines. After two decades of progress, Gavi is now focused on protecting the next generation, above all the zero-dose children who have not received even a single vaccine shot. The Vaccine Alliance employs innovative finance and the latest technology – from drones to biometrics – to save lives, prevent outbreaks before they can spread and help countries on the road to self-sufficiency. Learn more at www.gavi.org and connect with us on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, X and YouTube.

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