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Gavi and Asian Development Bank sign new partnership to boost health financing for immunisation
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Gavi sign a new cooperation agreement to help countries expand immunisation coverage and strengthen health systems
This agreement comes at a pivotal moment as ADB is scaling up its lending capacity, and Gavi embarks on its most ambitious five-year strategy to date
This week, Gavi published a new report outlining its plans to deepen collaboration with development banks in order to unlock capital for immunisation
Geneva, 12 June 2025 – Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a new cooperation agreement in support of sustainable health and immunisation financing in the countries they serve.
Under the agreement, Gavi and ADB will work closely to identify concrete financing solutions to expand health and immunisation investments at the country level across Asia and the Pacific. The partnership aims to help countries develop robust immunisation and health policies, while strengthening health systems by helping them adapt to the impacts of climate change across the 32 countries of overlap in the Asia-Pacific region.
The collaboration comes as ADB is scaling up its lending capacity by an additional US$ 100 billion over the next decade, with a focus on building resilience against the impacts of a changing climate. At the same time, Gavi is entering a new strategic phase aimed at helping countries transition to self-sustained immunisation funding, with countries contributing the highest-ever level of domestic financing towards the costs of vaccines.
“We are committed to ensuring that universal health coverage, regional health security, and sustainable and resilient health systems are part of our development agenda. This partnership with Gavi will help our developing member countries strengthen their health systems, particularly vaccination programmes, and build long-term preparedness for future pandemics." said Ayako Inagaki, Senior Director, Human and Social Development Sector Office, Asian Development Bank.
Broader global impact
Gavi’s engagement with ADB comes at a critical time as the region faces rising health threats. It forms part of a wider effort to work more closely with development banks to unlock new and more sustainable ways to finance immunisation programmes, strengthen health systems, and prepare for future pandemics, detailed in a new report published today. It builds on Gavi’s successful track record in financing alongside multilateral development banks (MDBs), including an earlier collaboration with ADB that mobilised over US$ 640 million for life-saving COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic.
“With countries’ health systems already straining to meet the demands of their growing populations, the need has never been greater for smart, sustainable investments that deliver benefits to public health and economic stability,” said Dr Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi. “As Gavi prepares to enter its next strategic period, our partnership with ADB and others like it will prove fundamental in enabling investment at the scale required to help countries build healthier and more resilient economies and societies.”
As Gavi looks ahead and considers the challenges countries face, MDBs have a vital role to play in expanding the financing choices available to countries, including those transitioning out of Gavi support and assuming greater responsibility for sustaining their immunisation programmes. Nineteen countries, including Indonesia and India, have already transitioned from Gavi support and now self-finance their immunisation programmes. The new partnership between Gavi and ADB intends to bring powerful and tailored financial tools to more countries as they make a similar transition. For instance, Gavi and ADB will be able to work together to help a transitioning country access both loan financing and technical assistance for the delivery of immunisation efforts.
With increasing pressure on public finance and the broader fiscal context, innovative solutions are more important than ever. By combining the strengths of development banks and global health institutions, Gavi aims to secure the long-term future of immunisation, protect progress and reach millions more children with life-saving vaccines.
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Meg Sharafudeen
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msharafudeen@gavi.org
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