Every year, more than 19 million children around the world are not immunised, and nearly 2 million children die from vaccine-preventable diseases, mainly in developing countries.
Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of the GAVI Alliance (GAVI), is in Australia to discuss AusAID's efforts to save lives through immunisation in developing countries.
The role of GAVI
GAVI and Australia are working together to improve immunisation, recognising that vaccinations not only save children's lives, but that healthy children have more opportunities, including education.
GAVI is a global public/private partnership that supports immunisation and strengthens health systems in developing countries. Since 2000, GAVI has prevented more than 5.5 million deaths from preventable diseases.
Australia's support
Australia is directly helping to fully immunise 7.7 million children against major diseases by 2015 through a $200 million commitment to GAVI announced in June 2011.
Australia has also pledged $250 million over 20 years to GAVI's International Finance Facility for Immunisation (IFFIm)–an innovative financing mechanism that raises funds by issuing bonds in capital markets backed by donor commitments. The bonds are sold by IFFIm to raise cash to help GAVI with its life-saving work.
Watch the video on IFFIm (external website)
Seth Berkley in Australia
During his visit, Dr Berkley is meeting with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Bob Carr, and other parliamentarians; government officials, including AusAID Director General Peter Baxter; the private sector; and civil society. His visit showcases the life-saving partnership between AusAID and GAVI and the importance of increasing engagement in the Asia-Pacific region.
Dr Berkley will also deliver a public address at the Australian National University on 21 March. His address will focus on the role of immunisation in improving the health of women and families and highlight GAVI's rollout of new, innovative vaccines, including the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. HPV is a contributing cause of cervical cancer. Australia is supporting GAVI to introduce the HPV vaccine in developing countries to protect thousands of women from cervical cancer in the future.
Update 22 March:
Find out more about Dr Berkley's visit to the Australian National University
Professor Ian Frazer, Australian creator of the HPV vaccine, has described GAVI's work on bringing down the price of the HPV vaccine as 'a giant leap forward for womankind and families'.
In partnership
GAVI's success is a testament to the great results that can be achieved when diverse partners come together with a single focus.
GAVI is an important partner for AusAID to save lives, accelerate the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, and improve maternal and child health. Australia is on track to spend $1.6 billion on maternal and child health by 2015.