Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the World Bank Group have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance their cooperation in strengthening immunization programs, primary healthcare systems, and regional vaccine manufacturing in Africa. The agreement aims to mobilize at least $2 billion over the next five years through joint financing efforts that align with country-specific priorities.
World Bank Group President Ajay Banga stated, “Our partnership with Gavi is an important step toward achieving our goal of delivering quality health services to 1.5 billion people by 2030. Strengthening health systems provides more than better care. These efforts will create jobs, boost economic growth, and build long-term resilience across the health sector.”
The collaboration will focus on supporting low- and lower middle-income countries as they transition from external support to sustainable financing for their health sectors. Both organizations plan to use new financial tools such as blended finance, buydowns, and guarantees while working together on public financial management.
Dr Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, said, “Our expanded collaboration with the World Bank Group reflects a long-standing joint effort to support countries as they build robust and resilient health systems. As Gavi embarks on its next five-year strategic period and implements the transformative Gavi Leap agenda, the additional resources made available to countries through this collaboration will be critical to our mission to accelerate progress towards country ownership, self-reliance and strengthened health systems that are resilient and responsive in the face of future health threats.”
A key part of this partnership is advancing vaccine manufacturing within Africa. This aligns with the African Union’s objective for African nations to produce 60% of their vaccines domestically by 2040. The initiative also supports Gavi’s African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator program.
Since launching its initiative 18 months ago to expand access to quality healthcare services globally, the World Bank Group reports that it has helped reach an additional 375 million people. Efforts continue toward scaling up proven primary care approaches that improve health outcomes while generating employment across local supply chains and related industries.
Earlier this year at its replenishment summit in June, Gavi announced $4.5 billion in complementary financing with Multilateral Development Banks and development finance institutions. The newly signed MoU is considered a significant step toward fulfilling these ambitions. It was formalized by Dr Sania Nishtar and Ajay Banga during the Universal Health Coverage High-level Forum hosted by Japan in partnership with both organizations and the World Health Organization.
Gavi operates as a public-private partnership focused on vaccinating children against deadly diseases worldwide by bringing together governments, international agencies like UNICEF and WHO, private sector partners including vaccine manufacturers, civil society groups, technical agencies, and philanthropic organizations such as the Gates Foundation.
Since its founding in 2000, Gavi has supported immunization for over 1.2 billion children across 78 lower-income countries—helping halve child mortality rates—and continues work on global stockpiles for vaccines against diseases like Ebola and cholera.
The World Bank Group works globally toward poverty reduction through financial support combined with knowledge-sharing across its constituent institutions: IBRD; IDA; IFC; MIGA; ICSID.
More information about these initiatives can be found at www.gavi.org or www.worldbank.org/healthworks.