Immunisation

Millions of lives are saved every year thanks to vaccines. The virtual disappearance of diseases that once terrorised populations and communities leads some to forget that this fragile peace depends upon continued universal vaccination.

However, in many poor countries the fear remains. Every year, 24 million infants are not vaccinated against the most common childhood diseases. As a result, between two and three million children will die annually from easily preventable diseases and many more will fall sick, missing school and becoming part of the vicious cycle that links poor health to continued poverty in adulthood.

Childhood immunisation is the best value in health care, providing tremendous benefit at very low cost. A child can be immunised fully for only US $30. In addition to their effectiveness and relatively low cost, immunisations are available and easily administered. Vaccines already exist for many of the diseases that drive children and their families into poverty such as measles, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, pneumoccocus, hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenzae type b, and yellow fever.

Well suited
Immunisation is well suited to use IFFIm funds because it:

• Can channel funds through an existing effective system
• Can be scaled up quickly, even in resource-poor settings
• Is a key first (and sometimes, only) point of contact for mothers and children with the health systems, and can be used to deliver other interventions such as vitamin A and insecticide-treated bed nets
• Can use resources to accelerate vaccine market forces
• Has the potential to save millions of children's lives through a substantial ramp-up in coverage rates
• Is an essential and highly cost-effective intervention that is integral to the public health system.