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Geneva, 26 May 2016 – The Government of Japan has agreed to contribute a further US$ 76 million to support childhood immunisation in developing countries. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance will use this first multi-year pledge from Japan to contribute towards efforts to immunise a further 300 million children by 2020, helping to save up to six million lives.
The new funding will bring Japan’s total contribution to Gavi for the 2016 to 2020 period to almost US$ 100 million as part of the country’s first multi-year commitment to the Vaccine Alliance. This includes the USD 18.5 million already committed in February, in support of measles and rubella immunisation efforts in 13 countries in West and Central Africa. This contribution helps further strengthen Gavi’s partnership with Japan.
Japan has a deserved reputation as a leader in global health and development and this multi-year pledge underlines the country’s unwavering commitment in these areas
Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Chair of the Gavi Board
The commitment also aligns with Japanese Prime Minister Abe’s focus on global health. PM Abe has outlined Japan’s vision to improve global health coverage through the implementation of a global architecture that is capable of responding effectively to public health crises and through the formation of resilient and sustainable national health systems that would enable universal access to health care.
“Japan has a deserved reputation as a leader in global health and development and this multi-year pledge underlines the country’s unwavering commitment in these areas,” said Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Chair of the Gavi Board. “Through the support of donors such as Japan we are able to build sustainable immunisation programmes and strengthen health systems that will benefit children today and for generations to come.”
Japan has been a donor to Gavi since 2011 contributing a total of US$ 53.7 million between 2011 and 2015 and now a further US$ 100 million towards immunisation programmes supported by the Vaccine Alliance. The support underlines Japan’s focus on tackling infectious diseases and strengthening health systems in the world’s poorest countries through Gavi.
“This year, the Ise-Shima Summit, as the first G7 Summit after the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals, will take up health as an important element of SDGs, and Japan, as the G7 chair, intends to continue to contribute to infectious diseases control and health system strengthening through its support to Gavi,” said Dr. Eiji Hinoshita, Director of the Global Health Policy Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.
Multi-year funding commitments are crucial for Gavi’s work because they provide predictability for all partners including implementing countries and vaccine manufacturers. Between 2000 and 2015, the Gavi partners helped immunise more than 500 million of the world’s poorest children, averting more than seven million deaths.