UN SG and Bangladesh’s Health Minister addresses Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations Alliance’s first replenishment process

New York, 6 October, Immunization and the work of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations (GAVI Alliance) is vital to the UN’s global strategy to improve the health of hundreds  of millions of women and children by expanding access to basic health care, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said at the launch of the GAVI Alliance’s first replenishment process in New York.

 ‘We are now reaching more than 90% of children with routine immunization. With GAVI’s help we can introduce new vaccines against pneumococcal diseases which will empower us to tackle the biggest killer of children under five in Bangladesh’ added Professor A.F. M. Ruhul Haque, Health Minister of Bangladesh.

Both Secretary General Moon and Health Minister Dr. Haque were addressing the huge civil society and member states gathering in New York on the occasion of the first ever Replenishment Process of GAVI, the biggest vaccination forum of the world. The Meet was chaired by Ms. Mary Robinson- the former President of Ireland and President of the GAVI Alliance Board.

GAVI Alliance is a global public-private partnership aimed at improving health in the world’s poorest countries. Its support consists of providing life-saving vaccines and strengthening health systems. Since 2000, more than 250 million children have been vaccinated and 5.4 million premature deaths averted thanks to GAVI-funded programs.

The Health Minister, while highlighting Bangladesh’s success in immunization and recent MDG Award in this regard, stressed that, Bangladesh would achieve hundred percent immunizations in all six diseases well ahead of MDG deadline of 2015. The Government is promise-bound to attain this success, he re-affirmed.

Later, he joined former Irish President Ms. Mary Robinson in an exclusive meeting and discussed various issues of bilateral interest. Mr. Farouqe Ahmed, Director ( Health) of BRAC was present.