In a high-level meeting between Civil Society Organizations and the GAVI alliance this week, a urgent call was made for the Sierra Leone government to significantly increase and accelerate its domestic financing for immunization programs.
The discussion, led by Maria, head of GAVI’s country team, centered on navigating global funding challenges by strengthening local investment in life-saving vaccines. Principal among the topics was the critical need for timely and predictable government co-financing.
Maria underscored GAVI’s priority for Sierra Leone to not only meets its co-financing commitments on schedule but to aim for ambitious one-to-two-year advance payments. This, she noted, would ensure program stability and protect the nation’s immunization efforts from international budgetary pressures.
“The need for more funding to immunization is non-negotiable,” Maria stated, highlighting it as the bedrock of public health security.
The meeting also highlighted the strategic role of local advocates. A representative from the CSO Health Alert expressed gratitude for GAVI’s support, channeled through the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), which has empowered them to campaign for greater government spending on vaccines.
Health Alert’s work exemplifies a growing partnership model where international donors and local CSOs collaborate to persuade governments to prioritize health in their national budgets. This united front is seen as essential for building a self-reliant and sustainable immunization system for Sierra Leone.
