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Geneva, 30 June 2016 – Dr Flavia Bustreo, WHO’s Assistant Director-General for Family, Women's and Children's Health, has been reappointed as Vice-Chair of the Board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Dr Bustreo has held the role since January 2015, and is also the chair of the Governance Committee.
Dr Bustreo has been instrumental in the early stages of the implementation of Gavi’s 2016-2020 strategy, which aims to support developing countries to immunise a further 300 million children against life threatening diseases, leading to 5 to 6 million lives being saved.
"I am humbled by the trust put in me by the Gavi Board, and delighted to contribute at such an important time for the Vaccine Alliance when we are redoubling our efforts to reduce inequities and also expanding our work to reach adolescent girls with the HPV vaccine,” said Dr Bustreo. “We have set ourselves ambitious targets for the next five years so it will be vital that all the partners come together to make vaccines work for every child, everywhere."
"Flavia brings a wealth of experience and commitment as well as thoughtful counsel to the Gavi Board," said Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Chair of the Gavi Board. "I am grateful for her support thus far and I look forward to continuing to work together to ensure children in developing countries do not miss out on lifesaving vaccines."
The Gavi Board also approved the following appointments:
- Irene Koek of the United States as Board Member representing the United States
- Helen Rees as an Unaffiliated Board Member
- Ramjanam Chaudhary, Minister for Health and Population, Nepal, representing the developing country constituency
- David Loew, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Sanofi Pasteur, as a Board Member representing the vaccine industry industrialised countries
Additionally, the Board approved the reappointment of Donal Brown of the United Kingdom as Board Member representing the United Kingdom.
The following Alternate Board Members were also appointed
- Jason Lane of the United Kingdom as Alternate Board Member to Donal Brown
- Bounkong Syhavong, Minister of Health, Lao PDR, as Alternate Board Member to Ramjanam Chaudhary