The Global Vaccine Action Plan To Be Discussed at the Sixty-fifth World Health Assembly

Next week, the Sixty-fifth World Health Assembly, the decision-making body of the World Health Organization (WHO) will discuss the Global Vaccine Action Plan (GVAP). The Assembly will take place in Geneva from 21-26 May 2012.

The GVAP is the final document that incorporates the inputs from a year-long consultation process with the participation of some 1100 experts from more than 140 countries representing more than 290 organizations. It is a concrete plan coordinated through the Decade of Vaccines Collaboration that identifies a strategy that integrates all aspects of immunisation, including research and development, delivery, global access to quality vaccines, and public and political support for vaccine programmes, for increasing access to new and existing vaccines over the course of this decade, making it a "Decade of Vaccines".

The GVAP main goalsare to:

• achieve a world free of poliomyelitis 
• meet global and regional elimination targets 
• meet vaccination coverage targets in every region, country and community 
• develop and introduce new and improved vaccines and technologies 
• exceed the Millennium Development Goal 4 target for reducing child mortality 

Together with PATH and the Sabin Vaccine Institute, ISGlobal has coordinated the secretariat of the Decade of Vaccines Collaboration. The presentation of the GVAP marks the end of the first stage of the project. During the following phase it will be the responsibility of all the stakeholders to ensure the implementation of the GVAP in their respective areas.

Learn more

Global Vaccine Action Plan 

65th World Health Assembly