India in GAVI Board
Recently, the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare has been nominated by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) as a member on GAVI board.
- Earlier in May 2020, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare was also elected as the Chair of the World Health Organization’s Executive Board.
Key Points
- The minister will be representing the South East Area Regional Office (SEARO)/Western Pacific Regional Office (WPRO) constituency on the GAVI Board.
- The seat is currently held by Myanmar and India will be holding it from 1st January 2021 to 31st December 2023.
Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation:
- Created in 2000, Gavi is an international organisation, a global vaccine alliance.
- It brings together public and private sectors with the shared goal of creating equal access to new and underused vaccines for children living in the world’s poorest countries.
- It score partners include the World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Bank and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
- As part of its mission to save lives, reduce poverty and protect the world against the threat of epidemics, GAVI has helped vaccinate more than 822 million children in the world’s poorest countries, preventing more than 14 million future deaths.
GAVI Board:
- It is responsible for strategic direction and policy-making, oversees the operations of the Vaccine Alliance and monitors programme implementation.
- With membership drawn from a range of partner organisations, as well as experts from the private sector, the Board provides a forum for balanced strategic decision making, innovation and partner collaboration.
- It normally meets twice a year in June and November/December and holds an annual retreat, normally in March or April.