Here at Meningitis Research Foundation, we’re always talking about how important it is to recognise the signs and symptoms of meningitis. Knowing when to seek medical attention is critical and can be life-saving.
Alongside this, taking whatever action possible to prevent meningitis infections in the first place is critical. When available, immunisation can stop some strains of meningitis in its tracks. Getting those vaccines to the people who are at most risk of catching meningitis is such an important tool in the global fight to defeat meningitis.
That’s where Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance comes in. Set up in 2000, Gavi is a global partnership which aims to improve access to life-saving vaccines around the world. Bringing together governments, the World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners like UNICEF, the World Bank and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Gavi encourages manufacturers to reduce vaccine prices and ensures that there are sufficient stocks of vaccines to tackle disease outbreaks.
Vaccines in a health clinic in Nigeria. Credit: Daylin Paul and Meningitis Research Foundation
Gavi specifically focuses on targeting twenty infectious diseases, one of which is meningitis. They have previously supported Men A vaccine campaigns across the Meningitis Belt in Africa, successfully reducing cases by an incredible 99%. More recently, Gavi supported the roll-out of the groundbreaking new Men5CV vaccine to tackle epidemics in Nigeria and Niger. Through this work, they play a critical role in supporting the WHO’s Global Road Map to Defeat Meningitis by 2030.
“Gavi's unwavering commitment to reaching children in the world’s poorest countries has expanded protection against more diseases, saved millions of lives, and advanced vaccine equity, especially for children who have never received a single dose.”
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General
For Gavi to carry out this life-saving work, funding is essential.
That is why, on 25th June, Gavi hosted a replenishment event to lock in funding for their next strategic period. The event aimed to secure pledges from governments, the private sector, philanthropists and other donors in order to fund Gavi’s work from 2026-2030.
Vaccine information in a health clinic in Nigeria. Credit: Daylin Paul and Meningitis Research Foundation
Gavi had set a USD$11.9bn goal for this funding cycle to enable them to continue supporting global vaccine delivery up to the end of the decade.
It is no secret that we’re in a particularly difficult period for global health funding at the moment, with countries like the USA and the UK – two of Gavi’s biggest donors - cutting their budgets for the foreseeable future. In line with their ongoing decisions regarding investment in global health, the US government decided not to continue their funding for Gavi, and the UK’s pledge, while substantial (USD$1.2bn), fell short of the USD$1.6bn asked of it.
However, Gavi overcame the odds and managed to secure a total of USD$9bn at the event. Pledges came in from donor organisations, including USD$1.6bn from the Gates Foundation, and governments alike, and Gavi stated that further pledges are expected.
This is, undeniably, a huge win in an incredibly difficult climate. However, there is still work to be done. The current shortfall in funding will inevitably impact Gavi’s planned programmes meaning cuts are likely. Currently, the implications of this are unclear and we are waiting to find out what this could mean for meningitis and the Global Road Map to Defeat Meningitis by 2030.
What we do know is that Gavi’s positive impact on global health is undeniable. To date, it is estimated that their programmes have saved 18.8 million lives. For this life-saving work to continue, it is critical that donors step up to fill the funding gap.
Read more about Gavi