In a pivotal move to secure the future of its immunisation programmes, Sierra Leone has championed the call for sustainable and inclusive financing during high-level dialogue sessions on the GAVI 6.0 transition. The sessions, convened by the Ministry of Health from October 8-14, 2025, at the Brookfields Hotel, featured Health Alert Sierra Leone as a central advocate for domestic resource mobilization.
The event, which coincided with a joint monitoring and evaluation visit by a Gavi delegation led by Country Manager Maria, brought together senior officials from the Ministry of Health, civil society organizations, and development partners to unpack Gavi’s newly announced grant extension pathways.
Representing the collective voice of civil society, Health Alert Sierra Leone showcased key national achievements. These include the establishment of a Parliamentary-CSO Caucus for Health and Immunization Financing, a multi-stakeholder platform designed to foster transparency and accountability. In a landmark demonstration of national ownership, the Government of Sierra Leone has already made an early payment of its co-financing funds for immunisation for 2025. For the first time, a clear budget line for immunisation has been allocated within the national health budget for 2025/2026, enhancing both visibility and sustainability.
Furthermore, development partners including UNICEF, WHO, the Ministry of Finance, and Members of Parliament are engaged in an ongoing dialogue for the creation of an Immunisation Basket Fund. This initiative aims to pool resources for predictable and equitable financing. Health Alert also emphasized the strategic importance of public-private partnerships to mobilize domestic and external resources, strengthen delivery systems, and ensure long-term sustainability.
The Gavi team lead detailed the alliance’s transition plan, which introduces two tailored extension processes. The HSSTCA Extension Process will see countries continue with specific grants through 2025 before transitioning to a consolidated cash grant under Gavi 6.0 in 2026. Similarly, the Country Foundations Extension Process will lead into a new grant model the same year.
The overarching 2026–2030 Gavi strategy is anchored in the principle of “Leaving no one behind with immunisation.” Its focus will be on scaling up vaccine introductions, strengthening health systems to improve equity, enhancing financial sustainability, and supporting healthy markets for affordable innovations. Investments will span all six health system pillars, with flagship interventions prioritizing zero-dose and under-immunized children.
Health Alert’s leadership underscored the critical role of civil society in shaping national immunisation priorities. The organization expressed its gratitude to the Global Health Advocacy Incubators (GHAI) for supporting its participation in this critical national conversation.
