In anticipation of World Immunization Week, Save the Children and GSK have announced the launch of a groundbreaking $1 million initiative aimed at empowering local organizations in Nigeria and Ethiopia.
The initiative seeks to expedite cutting-edge solutions to address persistent barriers hindering children from receiving vital vaccinations.
Dubbed the “Save the Children and GSK Immunisation Accelerator,” the programme is now open for applications from a spectrum of entities including community-based organizations, national NGOs, local research teams, social enterprises, and tech companies.
Promising approaches selected through the Accelerator will receive financial and technical support to pilot their innovations in real-world settings, with the aim of amplifying their impact.
Africa currently bears the highest burden of ‘zero dose’ children globally, with an estimated 8.7 million children who have never received routine vaccinations.
Nigeria and Ethiopia collectively account for over a third of these children, grappling with challenges exacerbated by the pandemic, poverty, climate change, and regional instability, which disrupt routine vaccination campaigns.
Last year, Save the Children and GSK reaffirmed their decade-long partnership with an additional five-year commitment. GSK pledged £15 million to initiate two new vaccination programmes in Ethiopia and Nigeria, targeting the reduction of zero dose children.
The Immunisation Accelerator builds upon this collaborative effort, inviting innovators to tackle various barriers to vaccine access and utilization, ranging from community engagement to logistics optimization and data management.
Grants of up to $100,000 per project are available, complemented by comprehensive support services tailored to meet the diverse needs of applicants, including technical guidance, legal advice, and branding assistance.
Duncan Harvey, Country Director of Save the Children International Nigeria, emphasized the urgency of locally led innovation to combat vaccine-preventable diseases, stating, “This collaboration opens new opportunities and efforts in tackling the barriers and defiance to immunization, especially in our communities.”
Dr. Thomas Breuer, Chief Global Health Officer at GSK, expressed enthusiasm for the Accelerator, highlighting the importance of leveraging local knowledge and capabilities to drive impactful innovations.
He affirmed GSK’s commitment to supporting these innovations and effecting positive change for children in Nigeria, Ethiopia, and beyond.
Projects vying for consideration must be at the testing stage of the innovation cycle and demonstrate evidence of addressing priority immunization barriers.
Each submission will undergo rigorous evaluation against predefined criteria to ensure consistency and effectiveness.
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