The Boards of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) recently convened for their second joint session, reaffirming their commitment to accelerating progress toward shared goals: reaching zero-dose and under-immunized children with essential vaccines and achieving polio eradication.
The meeting was co-chaired by Dr. Omar Abdi, Vice Chair of the Gavi Board, and Dr. Chris Elias, Chair of GPEI’s Polio Oversight Board, and included representatives from donor and implementing countries, civil society organizations, the Gates Foundation, the World Health Organization (WHO), and UNICEF. Participants reviewed progress since the last joint session in June 2025 and explored more systematic approaches to integrating vaccination campaigns and strengthening routine immunization coverage for bivalent oral polio vaccine (bOPV), inactivated polio vaccine (IPV), and hexavalent vaccines.
Country updates highlighted ongoing integrated vaccination efforts in Nigeria and Pakistan, where campaigns are protecting children against multiple diseases while strengthening routine immunization systems. Nigeria recently launched the first phase of a nationwide campaign aiming to reach 106 million children with polio, measles, and rubella vaccines, while Pakistan conducted a joint campaign in 89 high-risk districts targeting 34 million children. The Boards reviewed early outcomes and agreed to deepen coordination in regions where children face the greatest barriers to vaccine access.
Civil society engagement was emphasized as a critical factor for success. Onei Uetela, representing civil society on the Gavi Board, highlighted the need to keep communities at the center of integration efforts. The Boards also acknowledged the importance of donor contributions through flexible funding mechanisms to sustain vaccine procurement.
The joint efforts of Gavi and GPEI reflect a shared commitment to ensure that every child, regardless of where they live, can access life-saving vaccines and resilient health systems. Beyond the Board meetings, a leadership group of members from Gavi, GPEI, WHO, UNICEF, the CDC, Rotary International, and other partners will continue to meet regularly to guide and coordinate ongoing initiatives.
