The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, met with Dr Seth Berkley, Chief Executive Officer of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to discuss innovation in vaccines and implementation of childhood immunisation in India.
Dr Berkley was appreciative of the new innovative Government initiatives, such as 'Mission Indradhanush' and 'Make in India', both of which are improving childhood immunisation in India. Mission Indradhanush reaches the unvaccinated children and Make in India ensures that vaccines are affordable the poor across the world.
During the meeting, Gavi’s proposed new strategic partnership with India for 2016-2021 was discussed. This will see further fund support of up to US$ 500 million from Gavi to accelerate the introduction of modern and highly effective childhood vaccines for all children in India.
This includes India’s forthcoming rollout of vaccines that will protect children against causes of the biggest childhood killers, pneumonia and diarrhoea, as well as others such as measles-rubella and cervical cancer vaccines.
The Prime Minister and Dr. Berkley also discussed affordability, quality assurance and sustainability as well as using environmentally sustainable technologies such as solar to improve the vaccine cold chain, not just in India but in all developing countries.
