Geneva, Switzerland – The World Bank and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, announced a new strategic partnership aimed at providing up to $2 billion in co-financing. This will support developing countries in strengthening their immunization programs and improving their response to future pandemics. This initiative is part of the two institutions’ efforts to ensure equitable and sustainable access to life-saving vaccines globally.
Funding objectives
The funding, which comes through a combination of World Bank credit facilities and grants, as well as support from Gavi, focuses on several key areas to strengthen health security:
Improving health systems: Supporting health infrastructure and training the medical personnel needed to distribute vaccines and manage routine immunization campaigns more effectively.
Epidemic preparedness: Helping countries build capacity to monitor diseases and respond quickly to emerging health threats. This is a lesson learned from the recent COVID-19 pandemic.
Scaling up vaccination: Ensuring the inclusion of new and innovative vaccines in national immunization programs. Particular emphasis is placed on the most vulnerable and accessible communities.
Implementation mechanism
The partnership relies on the combined expertise of the two institutions. The World Bank contributes large-scale financing focused on health sector reforms and long-term development, while Gavi provides technical support and covers the costs of specialized vaccines. This collaboration is expected to have a direct impact on the lives of hundreds of millions of children and adults in Asia and Africa. The heads of both institutions emphasized that ensuring “no one is left behind” in accessing protection against diseases is key to sustainable economic development.
