• The Gavi CSO Constituency is a diverse group made up of over 4000 CSOs from around the world aimed at ensuring that every child and person is reached with immunisation.

• As Gavi CSO host, Amref will mobilise and support civil society organisations working to strengthen health systems and deliver immunisation services to underserved communities.

• Amref Health Africa is the first organisation located in a lower middle-income country to host the CSO platform

Geneva, 27 April 2022 – As part of this year’s World Immunisation Week, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, Amref Health Africa, and the Gavi Civil Society Organisation (CSO) Steering Committee announced a new partnership to harness the full potential of civil society to deliver on Gavi’s ambitious mission to leave no one behind with immunisation.

The announcement builds on the momentum created by a Gavi Board-approved initiative to support and empower civil society organisations and communities to identify and reach underserved and missed communities. This includes a requirement for all countries supported by Gavi to allocate at least ten percent of their combined Health System Strengthening (HSS), Equity Accelerator Funding (EAF) and Targeted Country Assistance (TCA) ceilings for activities undertaken by CSO partners.

The decision makes Amref Health Africa the first organisation located in a lower middle-income country to host the CSO platform. Additionally, the coordination of these activities from Kenya – a country that is eligible for Gavi support – is a unique opportunity to meaningfully include beneficiary communities and their representatives in the design and implementation of immunisation policies and programs.

“Civil society organisations play an essential role in supporting communities and health systems, and Amref has been at the core of working with different governments to increase sustainable health access to communities that would otherwise miss out on these essential services,” said Dr Githinji Gitahi, Group Chief Executive Officer, Amref Health Africa. “Hosting the Gavi CSO Constituency is an exciting opportunity for Amref to support the overall global immunisation agenda – IA2030 – by expanding and deepening civil society engagement with key stakeholders, including government leaders, multilateral partners, private sector organisations and grassroots communities.

“Civil society organisations are critical to reaching the most marginalised, as they understand the specific needs and context of these populations and have the trust and confidence of the communities we are trying to serve,” said Anuradha Gupta, Deputy CEO, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. “We are counting on Amref and civil society partners to help us strengthen political commitment and accountability, build trust in vaccines, and support delivery of immunisation services so that no one is left behind.”

Amref will offer strategic advisory services to the Gavi CSO Steering Committee and support capacity building efforts promoted by the Gavi Secretariat across the CSO Constituency for county-led engagement and implementation. Amref will also ensure there is coordination between the Gavi Secretariat, the Gavi CSO Steering Committee and the Constituency and will manage communications on key and relevant issues for the civil society immunisation community.

“No community should be left behind. The Gavi Civil Society Constituency is excited by the partnership between Gavi and Amref – the first Southern Hemisphere host for the Gavi CSO Steering Committee. The Gavi 5.0 agenda is ambitious, and we are fully committed to its success,” said Dr Sheetal Sharma, current Chair of the Gavi CSO Steering Committee. Civil Society will continue to amplify the community voices and work with all partners at global, regional, national, and subnational levels to ensure immunisation remains a core intervention to deliver the existing global health goals,” she added.

Amref’s hosting appointment is effective from 1 January 2022 for a period of 3 years ending 2024.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Elizabeth (Lizz) Ntonjira, Amref Health Africa
Global Communication Director 
+254 719 369 730
Elizabeth.Ntonjira@amref.org

Cirũ Kariũki, Gavi
+41 79 913 94 41
ckariuki@gavi.org