In a statement issued from Geneva on Thursday, Gavi said the outbreak, already declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by the World Health Organization and a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS) by Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, underscores the urgent need for coordinated international intervention.

Health authorities have reported more than 500 suspected infections and over 130 deaths in the DRC, while confirmed cases have also emerged in Kampala, Uganda, signaling cross-border transmission risks and a rapidly evolving public health crisis.

The outbreak is being driven by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus disease (BVD), for which there are currently no approved vaccines or therapeutics. Gavi warned that the situation is further complicated by population displacement, insecurity, and limited healthcare access in affected communities.

“The outbreak requires a country-led, highly coordinated and evidence-based response,” the alliance said.

Vaccine Supply Constraints Raise Global Health Concerns

Gavi noted that while it finances the global Ebola vaccine stockpile, existing licensed vaccines are designed for the Zaire ebolavirus strain and not the Bundibugyo variant currently responsible for the outbreak.

The alliance cautioned that evidence on cross-protection remains extremely limited, meaning any deployment of existing Ebola vaccines would require further scientific assessment, adherence to WHO guidance, and informed consent from affected populations.

The development exposes a significant gap in global epidemic preparedness, particularly for less common Ebola strains that have historically received lower levels of research funding and commercial interest.

Experimental Vaccine Candidates Under Review

Gavi said it is working alongside Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, WHO, UNICEF, the World Bank, Pandemic Fund, and private-sector partners to assess experimental vaccine candidates currently in development.

Among the leading candidates identified by WHO are:

• An rVSV-platform vaccine targeting Bundibugyo ebolavirus, based on the same technology used in the licensed Ervebo vaccine for Zaire Ebola. However, no doses are currently available for clinical trials, and production timelines are estimated at six to nine months.
• A ChAdOx-platform candidate vaccine, using technology similar to some COVID-19 vaccines. However, no animal or human trial data currently exists for the vaccine’s effectiveness against Bundibugyo virus disease.

The absence of ready-to-deploy vaccines highlights ongoing structural challenges in financing vaccine research for outbreak-prone diseases with uncertain commercial returns.

Gavi Weighs Use of $500 Million Emergency Fund

The alliance is also evaluating the possible deployment of its First Response Fund (FRF), a $500 million emergency financing mechanism established after lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The FRF was designed to accelerate access to vaccines outside Gavi’s standard portfolio during global health emergencies through mechanisms such as advance purchase commitments and at-risk manufacturing support.

Under the framework, up to $50 million can be approved directly by Gavi’s Chief Executive Officer for rapid emergency response, while larger disbursements require board approval.

According to Gavi, the fund could be used to incentivise vaccine manufacturers to accelerate production of promising Bundibugyo vaccine candidates while also supporting routine immunisation systems in affected countries.

The mechanism was previously deployed during the recent mpox outbreak, where it helped secure 500,000 vaccine doses and supported outbreak logistics with nearly $10 million in delivery funding.

Economic and Investment Implications

The resurgence of Ebola in Central and East Africa is expected to place additional pressure on fragile healthcare systems and could impact trade, transport, mining activities, and investor confidence across parts of the region if containment efforts falter.

Public health analysts say the outbreak also serves as a reminder of the growing intersection between global health security and economic resilience, especially as governments and multilateral institutions face tightening development finance conditions.

For vaccine manufacturers and biotech firms, the outbreak may also trigger renewed interest in neglected disease research and public-private funding models aimed at strengthening Africa’s epidemic preparedness infrastructure.

The tree lives continuously for centuries, sustaining entire communities through its nutritious fruit and the ecosystems it supports.

Large companies that have emerged in Africa’s transformational economic boom, are regarded as playing a similar role in their local economies, contributing disproportionately to their nations’ employment, productivity, innovation, and tax revenues.

Just as the baobab tree creates conditions for smaller plants to thrive, large companies have created new networks of suppliers, distributors, and service providers that are driving broad-based economic development across the continent.

Africa now has around 400 companies with annual revenues north of $1billion, but it needs more. In sectors like medical technology, biotech and pharmaceuticals, the gap between what exists and what is needed is particularly acute.

Opportunities to do business there have never been greater but for many Western companies, misperceptions about its size and an enduring perception of the continent as a charity case contribute to a costly reluctance.

Companies that fail to recognise this transformation risk not only missing one of the 21st century’s great growth opportunities but also ceding the field to more agile competitors.

The demographic and epidemiological shift

Africa’s population has surpassed 1.5billion and is projected to reach 2.5billion by 2050, increasing the continent’s share of the global population from 10% in 1960 to nearly 28% by mid-century.

By 2030, half of the continent’s population will live in urban areas. This urban concentration creates attractive markets for sophisticated goods and services, including advanced healthcare.

By 2030, the continent’s healthcare market alone is estimated to reach $259billion – a figure that should command the attention of any global health company. Yet Western executives consistently underestimate this potential.

Arguably, the most significant transformation affecting African healthcare is the dramatic epidemiological shift toward non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

Diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and chronic respiratory conditions are rapidly rising, driven by urbanisation, changing diets, and increased life expectancy.

The productivity losses from NCDs in Africa now exceed $1trillion, creating an urgent mandate for both governments and the private sector to invest in long-term management rather than emergency interventions.

Consider diabetes alone, the International Diabetes Federation estimates that the number of Africans living with diabetes will rise from 19million in 2019, to 47million by 2045, a 150% increase.

Managing this epidemic requires insulin, glucose monitoring systems, diagnostic equipment, patient education platforms, and specialised healthcare providers.

These are not ‘charity’ products, they are sophisticated medical technologies for which millions of Africans are willing and increasingly able to pay.

Diagnostics will play a central role in this transition. Managing chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer requires large-scale deployment of laboratory testing, point-of-care diagnostics and digital monitoring systems. For medical technology companies, this represents not only a clinical necessity but a major commercial opportunity.

The response from Western companies has been lukewarm at best. As the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) pointed out in its comprehensive guidelines on pharmaceutical manufacturing in Africa, the continent currently imports approximately 95% of its pharmaceutical products.

This dependency persists despite 10 countries alone, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, and Tunisia, representing an estimated 75% of the total African pharmaceutical market.

The manufacturing paradox

The Covid pandemic laid bare the dangers of Africa’s pharmaceutical dependency. As wealthy nations hoarded vaccines and restricted exports of essential medicines, African countries found themselves vulnerable in ways that were both medically dangerous and politically untenable.

The response has been a continent-wide push for local pharmaceutical manufacturing, supported by initiatives like the African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator (AVMA), launched by Gavi, which is incentivising private investment in local production capacity.

The targets are ambitious. The Partnership for African Vaccine Manufacturing aims for 60% of local demand to be produced on the continent by 2040 – up from less than 1% today.

The African pharmaceutical market is projected to grow at compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of between six and eight per cent by 2029.

Biotech startups raised over $500million in 2023 alone, signalling that the sector is shifting from a niche to an investment frontier.

Several countries are emerging as manufacturing hubs. Senegal, under its ‘Emerging Senegal Plan’, aims to domestically manufacture 50% of its pharmaceutical products by 2035.

 It is one of six African Union member states (along with Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Tunisia) receiving mRNA technology for local vaccine production through the WHO technology transfer hub programme.

The Institut Pasteur de Dakar, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and with €75million in financing from the European Investment Bank, is constructing a vaccine manufacturing facility expected to produce up to 300million doses annually.

South Africa, Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, and Morocco are similarly positioning themselves as regional pharmaceutical hubs, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE in the broader region showing significant investment through initiatives like Vision 2030.

Fifty-Four Markets, Not One

One of the biggest mistakes Western companies make is to treat Africa as a single market. The continent comprises 54 countries with vastly different regulatory regimes, income levels, disease profiles, and healthcare infrastructures.

A strategy that works in South Africa, with its sophisticated private healthcare system and regulatory authority, would not work in Nigeria, where the market is larger but infrastructure more challenging and distribution more complex.

Western companies seeking investment opportunities must be prepared to navigate an array of different national regulatory authorities, each with its own requirements, timelines, and standards.

As of December 2024, only eight African national regulatory authorities, Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe, achieved WHO maturity level 3, indicating a stable, well-functioning regulatory system. The remainder are at earlier stages of development, with varying capacity and resources.

This complexity is not a reason to avoid Africa, but rather to approach it strategically. The most successful companies will be those that identify priority markets based on clear criteria, regulatory maturity, market size, infrastructure quality, and strategic position within regional economic communities.

The business case

Another significant barrier to Western pharmaceutical investment in Africa is what might be called the ‘charity mindset’ – an assumption that African healthcare is primarily a matter of humanitarian aid rather than commercial opportunity.

This manifests in product strategies focused on ‘essential’ medicines, rather than innovative therapies, in pricing models based on ability to pay rather than value delivered, and in distribution approaches that rely on donor programmes rather than commercial channels.

Such an approach does a disservice to both African patients and Western companies. African patients deserve access to the same innovative medicines and technologies available elsewhere; they are not well-served by a system that treats them as second-class consumers.

The companies that succeed in Africa over the next two decades will not be those that treat the continent as a philanthropic afterthought but rather firms that approach it as one of the last major growth frontiers in global healthcare.

As African life-science sectors expand, one constraint increasingly cited by investors is access to experienced leadership teams capable of scaling manufacturing, navigating regulatory frameworks and building international commercial partnerships.

The choice for Western life sciences companies is straightforward – engage seriously with Africa’s emerging markets today, or watch others build the relationships, manufacturing capacity and regulatory expertise that will define the industry tomorrow.

*Ivor Campbell is chief executive of Snedden Campbell, a specialist recruitment consultant for the global medical technology industry.

“Gavi was created as a public–private partnership, and that model is more relevant than ever in today’s global health landscape,” said Dr Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. “By combining innovation with strong new partnerships and the support of donors and governments, Gavi is helping countries move proven solutions beyond the pilot phase and into national systems at scale.”

The Gavi Innovation Scale-Up Facility (SUF): first announced at Gavi’s replenishment Summit in June 2025, the Scale-Up Facility is a unique mechanism designed to unlock private capital and scale-up proven innovations already in use across the immunisation value chain.

It works by matching donors and investors with innovations that countries have successfully piloted and are looking to deploy more widely.

Building on the anchor pledge of up to CAD 40 million made by Grand Challenges Canada (GCC) in June, this week Gavi announces that 500 Global intends to partner with Gavi and GCC to advance shared goals of sustainable scaling of innovations through the Scale-Up Facility.

Together, Gavi, GCC and 500 Global aim to mobilise up to USD 300 million for the SUF to accelerate the scaling of high-impact innovations.

“At the heart of this work is one mission: saving lives and turning innovations into lasting change. By partnering with Gavi, Grand Challenges Canada, and other collaborators, we can reach those who are most underserved, and by aligning partners to absorb different risks, we can deploy capital more efficiently and scale proven solutions in fragile and emerging settings. Strategic risk-taking can unlock transformative health outcomes, and we invite others to join this vital work,” Dr. Alaa Murabit, managing partner, Sustainable Growth, 500 Global.

The Coca-Cola Foundation has also pledged support to Gavi’s Innovation Scale Up Facility (SUF) by providing countries and enterprises access to technical assistance to help scale SUF-supported innovations.

This work will be conducted through TCCF-funded partnerships Project Last Mile and Next Mile Ventures.

Improving equitable access to primary healthcare and vaccine uptake: Though a new, multi-partner initiative, Netherlands-based chocolate manufacturer Tony’s Chocolonely, with its impact engine and sourcing platform Tony’s Open Chain, along UBS Optimus Foundation and  Bayer Foundation have partnered with Gavi to reduce health costs, enhance overall access to primary healthcare and tackle low vaccination rates for families living in cocoa-farming communities across Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.

Implemented by Elucid in alignment with Ministries of Health, the initiative will enable the expansion of service delivey via mobile clinics, training for community health care workers, improvements to cold-chain infrastructure and support for national health insurance enrolment via digital technologies such as mobile money and health insurance applications.

With initial support by the Gavi Dutch Matching Fund, 140,000 children are targeted in the first three years and  more than 600,000 people are expected to benef across both countries.

Expanding drone delivery: Gavi’s long-standing partnership with Zipline, which facilitates the delivery of vaccines to remote communities via drones, has been expanded to Nigeria.

The expansion, which will see drone deliveries used to reach zero-dose communities across Kaduna State has been enabled by additional support from the Elton John AIDS Foundation and with exceptional support by Sweden.

These partnerships underscore Gavi’s long-standing commitment to using innovation and public–private collaboration partnership model to ensure that more children, in more communities, can be reached with life-saving vaccines and essential health services.

• Vaccines will be delivered to countries affected by the upsurge of mpox that continues to constitute a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). The first shipment of 11, 200 doses arrived in Nigeria on 20 December.

• Gavi CEO Dr Sania Nishtar: “We thank the US for these donations, which substantially strengthen the global mpox response. In addition to the 500,000 doses that Gavi procured directly in September through our First Response Fund, working with our donors, we now have legal frameworks in place to facilitate a substantial volume of additional pledged doses, which we will work with our partners to ensure are rolled out as quickly as possible.”

• Other Gavi mpox outbreak support thus far includes emergency funding to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cameroon and Rwanda, and 500,000 directly procured vaccines alongside funding for delivery and other related costs.

A shipment of 11,200 doses, donated by the United States of America and facilitated by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, have been shipped to Abuja, Nigeria, with delivery in the country on yesterday (Friday).

This follows agreements signed in November by Gavi to facilitate the donation of 305, 000 doses of mpox vaccine to support the global and continental response.

On 24 September, the US announced its intention to donate up to 1 million doses to support the mpox emergency and began discussions to donate the first 305,000 of those through Gavi.

The doses, manufactured by Bavarian Nordic, have been allocated to affected countries through the Access and Allocation Mechanism (AAM) for mpox, led by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi, UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO).

These doses are part of the 899,000 doses allocated through the AAM first round to nine African countries hardest hit by the mpox outbreak. Nearly six million vaccine doses from multiple nations and organisations are expected to be available by the end of 2024.

This includes 500,000 doses of the MVA-BN vaccine that Gavi procured utilising the First Response Fund in September, a month after PHEIC was declared.

Commenting on the agreement, Dr Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, said:

“We thank the US for these donations, which substantially strengthen the global mpox response. In addition to the 500,000 doses that Gavi procured directly in September through our First Response Fund, working with our donors, we now have legal frameworks in place to facilitate a substantial volume of additional pledged doses, which we will work with our partners to ensure are rolled out as quickly as possible.”

Gavi will also use the First Response Fund to cover the delivery costs of the doses it procures or facilitates. The funding was established this year in response to key lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The donation through Gavi builds on the U.S. government’s commitment to providing over a million mpox vaccines to international communities dealing with the current mpox outbreak,” said Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) Dawn O’Connell. “Viruses don’t respect borders, and both international and domestic mpox coordination remains a top priority for ASPR.”

As per the AAM, the allocation of the US doses includes the now shipped and soon to be delivered 11,200 doses to Nigeria. Next year, 273,000 doses are planned for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and 19,600 doses for Rwanda. Gavi is in discussion with the US regarding the remaining 695,020 doses, which will be allocated by the AAM when countries are ready to receive them.

In addition to facilitating donations from the US and Bavarian Nordic, Gavi has provided emergency cash support of US$2.7 million to DRC and US$1.5 million to Rwanda for the vaccine roll-out.

• 300 remote health care facilities across Ethiopia will be powered with solar energy, benefiting an estimated 6.7 million people
• Backed by Gavi funding, this new initiative aims to build climate-resilient health systems, while also boosting vaccine storage capacity
• The programme – which supports the Ethiopia Ministry of Health’s goal to solar power over 1,000 health care facilities and enhance maternal, infant and post-natal care in underserved areas – will be implemented by the Ministry of Health, UNICEF and WHO.

In response to the urgent demand for reliable energy in health care facilities, the Ethiopia Ministry of Health, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), UNICEF and WHO Friday officially launched the Health Facility Solar Electrification (HFSE) initiative.

This new initiative, which is part of a broader US$ 35 million programme funded by Gavi, aims to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase access to immunization, and broaden primary health care services.

Three hundred health care facilities have been prioritized for solar expansion across all regions in Ethiopia, focusing on facilities that are distant from the main power grid.

The deployment of solar energy will significantly improve health care outcomes for the estimated 6.7 million people living in the catchment areas of the health facilities by increasing the range of services offered at primary health care facilities, including expanded access to immunization services and availability of clean water at health facilities. It also aims to strengthen health care services by providing decentralized solar energy, contributing to climate-resilient health facilities while simultaneously reducing carbon emissions.

This jointly led effort falls under the Ministry of Health’s plan to equip over 1,000 health care facilities with solar energy and will be implemented by December 2025.

“Today, we are powering health and hope across Ethiopia. With solar electrification, our health facilities will deliver reliable care, even in the most remote communities, bringing us closer to a healthier andbrighter future for all,” said H.E Dr. Dereje Duguma, State Minister of Health.

“Climate change is increasing the burden of diseases in the most vulnerable communities, and access to electricity is a core determinant of a country’s ability and readiness to provide quality health services,” said Thabani Maphosa, chief country delivery officer, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. “Establishing and scaling health facility solar electrification, as we are doing here today, represents an unprecedented opportunity to strengthen primary health care systems, contribute to a greener planet, and drive improved health outcomes.”

“This initiative marks a significant step forward in sustainable health care and climate resilience, benefiting millions in underserved communities,” highlights Dr. Aboubacar Kampo, UNICEF Representative in Ethiopia. “By enhancing immunization for children and strengthening health services for mothers and infants, we are promoting safer deliveries and improving post-natal and infant care.”

“The connection between energy and health is clear in both homes and health care facilities in Ethiopia. Access to clean and reliable energy in health care facilities is crucial for providing quality essential services for disease prevention and treatment, particularly for mothers and children in hard-to-reach areas of the country,” highlights Dr. Owen Laws Kaluwa, WHO Representative to Ethiopia. “Access to electricity in health care facilities can be a matter of life and death.”

Recognizing the critical role of cold chain equipment in health care delivery, the HFSE initiative will leverage Gavi’s Cold Chain Equipment Optimisation Platform (CCEOP) mechanism to deploy solar photovoltaic packages at 1,000 primary health care facilities across Ethiopia, Pakistan, Uganda and Zambia.

With a funding commitment of US$ 35 million from Gavi, the project will enhance the ability of health care facilities to power essential cold chain equipment and other vital medical devices in those countries.

• A new Gavi and DFC partnership to secure access to funds for routine and emergency vaccinations
• Inclusion of immunisation in historic Political Declaration on antimicrobial resistance through immunisation
• Gavi hosted side event identified concrete actions on how cutting-edge advancements in technology could support reaching zero dose children.

The European Commission has become the latest Gavi donor to pledge funding towards the first two years of its next five-year period, Gavi 6.0.

Speaking to a packed crowd at the Global Citizen Festival in New York’s Central Park on Saturday 28 September, the Commission’s President, Ursula von der Leyen announced a new funding pledge of €260 million for the years 2026–2027, with an assertion that more will come.

This support will complement strong support from Team Europe to Gavi. The funds will contribute to Gavi’s goal for 2030 to help protect 500 million more children around the world, strengthen immunisation systems, and boost global health security by increasing readiness to respond to disease outbreaks.

The pledge tops off a productive week in New York for Gavi, which also saw an expansion of its innovative financing capabilities, as well as important progress in underlining the role of vaccines in fighting antimicrobial resistance and in the use of AI and other cutting-edge technologies in rolling out vaccinations.

Taking into account money already pledged by the USA, France, Spain and others at the launch of Gavi’s replenishment campaign in June, Gavi’s total fundraising for its next strategic period is US$2.7 billion, against an overall target of at least US$9 billion.

The European Commission’s pledge of €260 million concerns the first 2 years of Gavi’s next strategic cycle which coincide with the last 2 years of the EU’s current Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2021–2027.

The Commission will remain committed to a high level of ambition in supporting GAVI when designing its proposal for the next MFF. This will complement strong support to Gavi from EU Member States in a Team Europe approach.

Gavi hopes to conclude this replenishment process in early 2025. Successfully meeting its target will enable it to protect more children, against more diseases faster than ever before and help protect the world from outbreaks of diseases such as mpox, Ebola and cholera during its next strategic period.

Also during UNGA, Gavi and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) announced a new expansion to their partnership focused on donor liquidity.

Building on support put in place during COVID-19, the US$1 billion Rapid Financing Facility will allow Gavi to quickly access funds in the event of new donor pledges for pandemic response or routine immunisation.

This mechanism will also form a critical part of Gavi’s Day Zero Financing Facility, which is designed to respond to one of the learnings from COVID-19, when delays in accessing finance let to delays in securing access to vaccines for the most vulnerable.

Commenting on the two developments Dr Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, said:

“We are grateful for the strong support shown by the European Commission and President Von der Leyen herself for her leadership in advancing global health outcomes. We are also deeply grateful to DFC for extending our partnership, allowing Gavi to immediately turn donor pledges into cash, thereby rapidly accelerate our ability to access vaccines in the future. Thanks to the European Commission and DFC, we remain on track to meet our target of protecting people, communities even our entire world through immunisation.”

Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, said:

‘A healthier world is a better world. And vaccination is one of our best chances for this. Right now, millions of children are still at risk. We must continue to support vaccination around the world to save lives. So today I am proud to pledge 260 million euros for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. And more will come.’

“We recognize that global health security is economic and national security. DFC investments in healthcare services, supply chains, and technology strengthen pandemic preparedness and health system resilience. Over the past several years, DFC has invested over $3 billion in health-related projects, which have helped over 50 million patients access healthcare. With the new Surge Financing Initiative, the expanded Gavi liquidity facility, and investments in regional manufacturing, we will be able to do far more to expand access to life-saving healthcare products, especially during health emergencies” said Nisha Biswal, DFC Deputy CEO.

Gavi celebrates the strong political will of Member States at UNGA 79’s High-Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) endorsing a historic  Political Declaration, that includes long overdue language on immunisation particularly featuring:

• Commitment from Member states to promote the alignment of national AMR action plans on with national vaccination and immunization strategies.
• Prioritisation on prevention, including through vaccination and routine immunisation.
• Commitment towards the implementation of the Immunisation Agenda.
• Reference to vaccines and the need for their equitable and timely access throughout the declaration.

Gavi is also directly mentioned in the political declaration as a key financing mechanism alongside the World Bank and The Global Fund and others, encouraged to expand or facilitate access to funding towards key interventions in the fight against AMR.

As part of its activities at UNGA 79, Gavi’s CEO Dr Sania Nishtar hosted the side event, The Future of Immunisation for Humanity: Unleashing the Potential of New Technologies to Reach the Unreached. With participation from Ministers of Health, agency heads and leading innovators, the discussion identified concrete actions on how cutting-edge advancements in technology could support reaching zero dose children.

Gavi also co-hosted the Healthier Future through Equitable Immunisation Side Event alongside Rotary International, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), the Measles & Rubella Partnership (M&RP) and the Gates Foundation. The event facilitated dialogue among global, regional, and local actors to ensure life-saving interventions reach those in need. It highlighted the experiences of advocates and individuals affected by vaccine-preventable diseases, as well as honored those who have dedicated their lives to this critical work.

Funded through Gavi’s First Response Fund, a new financial mechanism created in June 2024 to make cash rapidly available to purchase vaccines in health emergencies, this deal guarantees the availability of these doses throughout 2024. 

The vaccines, marketed as JYNNEOS or IMVANEX, are set to support countries affected by the ongoing mpox outbreak.

The MVA-BN vaccine received prequalification from the WHO on September 13, and Bavarian Nordic will be ready to supply the vaccines pending the signing of a supply agreement with UNICEF, Gavi’s alliance partner, which will be delivering these doses.

“The First Response Fund was designed in collaboration with Gavi donors and partners specifically to provide rapid early funding for emergencies such as mpox. Using it today to fund the first direct transaction for vaccines in support of equitable access and the global response, just over a month since mpox was declared a public health emergency, takes us a long way towards our goal of protecting those most at risk,” said Dr Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. 

“We are committed to working with affected governments and our partners to turn these vaccines into vaccinations as quickly and effectively as possible and, over time, to build a global vaccine stockpile if sufficient funding is secured for Gavi’s work through 2030. We thank our donors for enabling us to act rapidly by committing funds to the First Response Fund before an emergency occurred.”

Paul Chaplin, president & CEO of Bavarian Nordic, said: “We are pleased to sign this agreement and strengthen our commitment to support Gavi and other global health partners, who have demonstrated strong leadership in making life-saving vaccines available for the vulnerable populations in developing countries for decades.

“The doses secured through this agreement will significantly increase the availability of mpox vaccines for African countries, and we are pleased that Gavi has selected our MVA-BN vaccine, which has proven highly effective during the global mpox outbreak in 2022.”

In addition to activating the First Response Fund, approved by the Gavi Board in June, Gavi moved rapidly to trigger the mechanism following the declaration of mpox as a public health emergency and unlocked emergency funding for affected countries to begin preparations for vaccine rollout, such as training of healthcare workers and community engagement and is working with donors and partners to help facilitate dose donations. 

Medium- and longer-term measures in place that are expected to be supportive of the mpox response include authorisation from Gavi’s Board, contingent on donor funding for Gavi’s next strategic period, to establish a stockpile of mpox vaccines for use in future outbreaks.

It also comes with an even longer horizon to contribute to the establishment of a sustainable vaccine manufacturing industry in Africa through the African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator, which was also launched in June.

This APA follows the delivery into the DRC of over a quarter of a million doses of Bavarian Nordic vaccines donated by other nations and Bavarian Nordic. The doses will be allocated to those most in need as per WHO’s Access and Allocation Mechanism, published on September 13.

In just two weeks, an impressive 7 million girls have been vaccinated against the human papillomavirus (HPV), a critical step in protecting them from cervical cancer later in life.

Gavi’s commitment to girls’ health

This achievement marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s fight against cervical cancer.

In October 2023, Gavi partnered with the Nigerian Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, WHO, and UNICEF to introduce the HPV vaccine into the national immunization program.

Building on this success, Gavi further expanded its collaboration with Girl Effect in May 2024 to focus on reaching girls with critical information and ensuring vaccine access.

Protecting a generation from cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is the second most prevalent cancer among women in Nigeria, claiming countless lives each year.

The HPV vaccine offers a highly effective tool for prevention, with an average success rate of 92%. By vaccinating 7 million girls in just two weeks, Nigeria has made significant progress towards its goal of reaching 16 million girls by 2025.

Dr. Sani Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, stated:

“This achievement is a testament to the tremendous collaboration between Gavi, the Nigerian government, and our partners. By prioritising girls’ health, we are empowering a generation and helping to save countless lives.”

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Global impact

Globally, cervical cancer is responsible for over 342,000 deaths annually, with a disproportionate impact on women in low- and middle-income countries.

Ensuring broad access to the HPV vaccine is critical to reducing this devastating disease burden.

Apply here.  

INFUSE, short for Innovation for Uptake, Scale, and Equity in Immunisation, is a Gavi-led initiative designed to scale up groundbreaking global health solutions by connecting high-impact, proven innovations where countries need them most.

This year’s INFUSE initiative underscores the urgency of addressing health challenges exacerbated by climate change, including increased vulnerability to diseases like malaria and the potential for more frequent and severe outbreaks due to extreme weather.

The program aims to select and scale innovations that contribute to low-carbon and sustainable resilient healthcare systems, enhance frontline health workers’ capacity to manage climate-related health threats and ensure efficient vaccine distribution under challenging climate conditions. Examples of projects supported by INFUSE in past calls include:

• To prevent vaccine damage from excessive heat or cold, Nexleaf Analytics and Parsyl are deploying state-of-the-art sensor technology. 
• To help Pakistan and Mozambique reach under-immunised children, Zenysis Technologies is harnessing big data analytics to sharpen the accuracy of vaccine planning. 
• To ensure that every child is registered in the health system and receives critical vaccines, Simprints is pioneering biometrics in Bangladesh, Ghana and Tanzania.

Augustin Flory, managing director, Innovative Partnerships and Development Finance at Gavi said:

“The climate crisis has significant implications for vaccine preventable diseases and immunisation programmes. INFUSE is a great platform to mobilise the latest innovations in support of the health community to drive adaptive and mitigative actions against climate change.”

Sheilla Atieno, Seedstars program manager Africa, highlighted the importance of this initiative:

“Our collaboration with Gavi for INFUSE 2024 is crucial in our fight against the health impacts of climate change. We are calling on innovators globally to come forward with solutions that can make a tangible difference in building climate-resilient health systems.”

The open call for INFUSE 2024 invites applications that demonstrate innovative approaches to tackle challenges faced by Gavi countries and their partners, focusing on climate mitigation and resilience.

The criteria for participation include scalability and potential impact in vulnerable regions, cost-effectiveness with a sustainable financial model, evidence of, or potential for success, adaptability for implementation in diverse environments, especially in low-income countries, and the strength and experience of the team behind the solution.

Innovators and startups across the globe, particularly from lower-income countries, are encouraged to apply for this opportunity.

Selected innovations will be part of the INFUSE community, receiving focused support to scale their solutions globally.

The World Economic Forum convened prominent individuals from the healthcare industry, academia, and government to explore and monitor issues driving transformational change across economies, industries around the world. 

Honorable Bosun Tijani, the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy of Nigeria, passionately advocated for a sweeping technological transformation to address critical healthcare issues in Africa.

Hon. Tijani emphasized the urgent need to empower governments to harness available technologies and increase investment in connecting and empowering people with access to information. He stressed the importance of fostering ecosystems that can support and scale innovation to tackle Africa’s challenges effectively. He cited Rwanda as a prime example where government-led initiatives and supportive ecosystems have driven successful innovation to address various issues in the country.

One of the key issues highlighted during the World Economic Forum was the pressing need for improved connectivity in many regions. Despite the presence of various facilities, inadequate connectivity has hindered development potential. Hon. Tijani emphasized the importance of creating ecosystems that facilitate development and ensure that necessary infrastructure supports investments.

The adoption of health technologies was underscored by Zipline’s recent introduction of drone technology for distributing essential medical supplies to healthcare facilities in Nigeria. Several states, including Kaduna, Cross River, and Bayelsa, have partnered with Zipline to efficiently transport essential medical products, including vaccines, blood, and medicines, to remote communities.

Zipline’s drones cover distances of about 3 hours by road in less than 35 minutes, significantly improving the quality of care, patient outcomes, and healthcare providers’ satisfaction. This success has led many governments to consider Zipline technology as a vital component of the aerial logistics ecosystem, simplifying the delivery of essential medical supplies.

Hon. Tijani commended investments like those made by Zipline, recognizing them as catalysts for technological advancement and development. He emphasized the need to invest in essential infrastructure and create supportive ecosystems, enabling Africa to effectively address its challenges and accelerate its development.

The Forum, themed ‘Innovation at Scale: Ensuring Health and Prosperity,’ featured discussions by key figures who shared their insights on leveraging technology and innovation to address Africa’s challenges. Contributors emphasized the growing consensus on the crucial role of technology and innovation in addressing Africa’s challenges, fostering health, and promoting prosperity. Collaborative efforts, empowering governments, and prioritizing healthcare and vaccine development investments were highlighted as key drivers of positive change across the continent.