Valliance Aliance Board chairperson announce in Cameroon.

Barroso’s working visit to the country, which would centre on progress made in inoculation will end December 2. This is according to a tentative program made public by officials.

The visit, officials told reporters yesterday, will equally be an opportunity to assess progress in the implementation and strengthening of routine immunisation. 

The alliance, through its board chairperson, is also expected to use the visit to declare fresh support for government’s immunisation and other public health goals.

While in Cameroon, Prof Barroso is expected to hold talks with members of government, members of the diplomatic corps, representatives of the International Organisations accredited to Cameroon, Civil Society Orgnisations, religious and traditional leaders as well as other key stakeholders in the health sector.

He is coming to Cameroon as the country prepares to roll out the Mosquirix vaccine to tackle malaria. The Minister of Public Health received a consignment of 331,200 doses of the malaria vaccine on November 22. It is expected to be distributed for use beginning next year. 

Gavi has intervened in all ten Regions of the country to boost immunisation. It has provided fundings to Health System Strengthening, HSS; Platform for the Optimisation of cold chain equipment, POECF; Equity Accelerator Funding, EAF; Targeted Country Technical Assistance, TCA; Support for the introduction of new vaccines and Underused vaccines, VIG; Support for deployment of the COVID-19 vaccine, COVAX/CDS and Operational support for immunization campaigns, Ops.

Gavi also supported the introduction of the HPV vaccine into the Expanded Program on Immunisation, EPI. Officials said this year, the vaccine has been reduced from two doses to one and extended to boys. Only girls had been targeted since its introduction into the routine EPI in October 2020.

As a public-private partnership, Gavi helps vaccinate more than half the world's children against some of the world's deadliest diseases. Since its inception in 2000, Gavi has helped vaccinate over a billion children and ultimately prevented more than 17.3 million deaths, halving child mortality in 78 low-income countries. 

The institution also plays a crucial role in enhancing global health security by supporting health systems, outbreak response and financing global vaccine stockpiles against Ebola, cholera, meningitis and yellow fever.

After two decades of progress, Gavi is now focused on protecting new generation and reaching zero-doses of un-immunised children. 

The Vaccine Alliance brings together governments of donor and recipients countries; the World Health Organisation, WHO; the United Nations International Children’s Fund, UNICEF and the World Bank among others.