Gavi, Uganda discuss move to boost child vaccination

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The Global Vaccine Alliance - Gavi and the Ugandan government have discussed a move to boost child vaccination in the country.

This was during a meeting between health ministry top officials and Gavi chief executive officer Dr Sania Nishtar, in Kampala on Tuesday, November 19, 2024.

“The discussions revolved around reinventing the wheel to increase access to immunisation services to ensure that no child misses out on vaccination in Uganda,” the health ministry said in a brief statement on X, formerly Twitter.

It also said the meeting was attended by health minister Dr Jane Ruth Aceng and health state ministers Margaret Muhanga (primary health care) and Anifa Kawooya (general duties) as well as their permanent secretary, Dr Diana Atwine.

Gavi is an international organisation created in 2000 to improve access to new and underused vaccines for children living in the world's poorest countries.

Nishtar arrived in Uganda recently for the first time to officiate at the national event to mark 50 years of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI).

EPI, an initiative launched by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 1974, stands as a global endeavour to ensure equitable access to life-saving vaccines for every child, regardless of their geographic location or socioeconomic status.

Gavi says immunisation is the foundation of a brighter future—healthier children, stronger economies, and thriving communities.

And WHO also notes that vaccines have emerged as a cornerstone of public health, preventing the spread of deadly diseases and saving countless lives.

It states that this year’s 50th anniversary of EPI provides a pivotal occasion to celebrate the programme’s achievements, highlight its impact on lives saved, and catalyse renewed efforts to strengthen routine immunisation initiatives. 

Building on the momentum of the smallpox eradication effort, EPI was initiated to provide universal access to life-saving vaccines for children worldwide. This programme, which is now commonly referred to as the Essential Programme on Immunisation, seeks to safeguard individuals of all ages through comprehensive immunisation efforts.

Today, every country has a national immunisation programme, and vaccines are universally recognised as among the safest, most cost-effective, and successful public health interventions to prevent fatalities and enhance the quality of life, according to the WHO.