Vaccines which could save seven million childrens’ lives

15 June 2009

UK supports pneumococcal vaccines which could save seven million childrens’ lives

The UK last week committed its support for a global drive to introduce pneumococcal vaccines in developing countries which could prevent more than seven million child deaths by 2030.

The Advance Market Commitment (AMC), a new innovative financing scheme, will act as an incentive for pharmaceutical companies to provide new vaccines which are desperately needed.

The scheme will work by using donor advance commitments to subsidise the purchase of effective vaccines – once they have been developed and made available at a low cost and long term price – thereby creating commercial demand for the vaccines.

Donors have committed a total of $1.5 billion to the scheme which was launched today at the meeting of G8 Finance Ministers in Italy.

DFID has led on the initiative with the Treasury, contributed $485 million to the scheme.

International Development Secretary, Douglas Alexander, said:

“Pneumococcal diseases which cause meningitis and pneumonia currently kill 1.6 million people every year – including up to one million infants. Over 90% of these deaths are in developing countries.

“In the current global economic downturn, it is more important than ever that we don’t turn our backs on the world’s poor and do all in our power to reach those most in need.

“The Advanced Market Commitment will mean faster access to life-saving vaccines for millions of people in developing countries. That is why we are keen to continue to expand the scope of innovative financing mechanisms like this.”

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling said:

“The launch of this pilot AMC  is a big milestone in the fight against preventable child diseases, and the culmination of efforts by experts from across the world that have  contributed to its development. The UK is pleased to support this initiative, which could prevent many of the up to one million infant deaths from pneumococcal disease each year and should ensure a sustainable and affordable supply of vaccines well into the future."

The UK has led efforts to utilise innovative financing solutions for health through its £1.38 billion support to the International Finance Facility for Immunisation (IFFIm).

IFFIm has already raised over $2 billion for the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) which has helped stamp out a polio outbreak in 2007 by immunising over 100m children; has vaccinated 194 million children against measles; and doubled the number of women being targeted with tetanus vaccine.