President of Gavi Calls for Global Unity on Child Immunization

Brussels: The president of the Global Alliance for Vaccines (Gavi), Duro Barroso, on Wednesday in Brussels appealed to the international community to prioritize child immunization as a central strategy to ensure a healthy future for billions of children by 2030. According to Angola Press News Agency, Duro Barroso emphasized that vaccination remains the 'most effective' public health intervention during the Gavi Global Summit. The summit outlined the organization's strategic outlook for 2026-2030 and gathered global leaders, heads of state, and representatives of multilateral organizations, including Joo Lourenço, President of Angola and acting President of the African Union. Barroso expressed the significance of immunization amidst global challenges, stating that there is no future without children, and immunization is the key to a life free from preventable diseases. He acknowledged the support from international partners like the European Union, the United States, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation , highlighting President Joo Lourenço's presence as a testament to Africa's commitment to global health. Barroso reiterated the importance of prioritizing vaccination despite budgetary and political constraints. He called it both a humanitarian and a security mission, emphasizing that global health should be addressed with the same seriousness as other global threats. Since its inception in 2000, Gavi has aided in the immunization of over 1 billion children, preventing an estimated 90 million deaths in low- and middle-income countries. Barroso reaffirmed Gavi's dedication to agility, efficiency, and focus on the needs of the countries it serves. He noted the economic benefits of vaccination, which already surpass $250 billion, and cited examples of countries that have transitioned from beneficiaries to donors of the alliance. The summit, co-organized by the European Union and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, marked the start of Gavi's replenishment process for the 2026-2030 cycle. Under the theme 'Gl obal Summit: Health and Prosperity through Immunization,' the meeting attracted heads of state, leaders from multilateral organizations, international donors, and civil society representatives. For the upcoming cycle, Gavi aims to vaccinate 500 million children, save over eight million lives, respond to 150 outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, and generate more than 100 billion US dollars in global economic benefits.