Global Health
IFFIm: $1 billion to support global vaccine programmes
In October 2024 the International Finance Facility for Immunisation (IFFIm) priced a US$1 billion, 3-year fixed-rate bond to fund “critical vaccine
Study: vaccinating children against mpox “most efficient”
A study in The Lancet Global Health sought to provide counterfactual scenarios to evaluate the short-term effects of different vaccination strategies
WHO declares Egypt malaria-free after 100-year effort
In October 2024 WHO certified Egypt as malaria-free after a “nearly 100-year effort” by the government and people to end the disease. WHO described
Global Polio Eradication Initiative faces challenges
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) announced the “difficult decision” to extend the timelines needed to achieve polio eradication.
Modelling study: 100 Days Mission demands vaccine equity
A study in The Lancet Global Health estimates the impact that the 100 Days Mission could have had on the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors
Parliamentarians support Pandemic Agreement efforts
In October 2024, parliamentarians from across the world met at the UNITE Global Summit in Berlin to sign a statement in support of the WHO Pandemic Agreement. The statement was described by WHO as a “significant commitment” to “strengthen pandemic preparedness,...
Study highlights facial palsy link to COVID-19 vaccines
A study in Emerging Infectious Diseases explores the association between COVID-19 vaccination and facial palsy (FP) in South Korea. The authors use an immunisation registry linked to the national health information database to compare FP incidence in a risk window...
“Promising” Rift Valley vaccine enters Phase II in Kenya
Phase II trials of a “promising” human vaccine candidate against Rift Valley fever are beginning in Kenya with CEPI support. CEPI reported in October 2024 that this is the “most advanced stage of testing” for a human Rift Valley fever vaccine in an “outbreak-prone...
EIB Global supports Akagera Medicines with €2 million
In October 2024 the European Investment Bank (EIB Global) announced €2 million financing for early-stage vaccine development in Rwanda by Akagera Medicines Africa Limited. The support is intended to accelerate research, development, and manufacturing of new vaccines...
Study: TCV protects children against typhoid but declines
A study in The Lancet in October 2024 finds that a single dose of typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) offers safe and effective protection against typhoid two years after vaccination in all children and sustained protection for older children at three to five years after...
AMR report: vaccines could reduce antibiotics needed by 22%
A WHO report in October 2024 suggests that vaccines against 24 pathogens could reduce the number of antibiotics needed by 22% every year. Some of these vaccines are already available but currently underused, but others will need to be developed and brought to market....
WHO, IMF, and WBG agree on pandemic preparedness principles
In October 2024, WHO announced an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WBG) on “broad principles for cooperation on pandemic preparedness”. The cooperation is intended to enable scaling up of support to countries to prevent,...
Wellcome funding to overcome AMA capacity challenges
The African Union Development Agency – New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD) announced in October 2024 that Wellcome is granting US$12,301,075 to “support the strengthening and harmonisation of regulatory systems and the operationalisation” of the...
GSK’s Arexvy offers protection for 3 RSV seasons
GSK announced in October 2024 that data from the AreSVI-006 (Adult Respiratory Syncytial Virus) Phase III trial of Arexvy indicate that a single dose could offer protection for three RSV seasons. Arexvy is the world’s first RSV vaccine, first approved by the United...
Adult vaccination in the EU: report finds disparities
A report from Coalition for Life Course Immunisation (CLCI) considers the financial and policy frameworks of various National Immunisation Programmes in Europe with a focus on sustainable financing and informed decision-making. The report addresses access and...
Gavi celebrates life-saving efforts in 2023 Progress Report
Gavi shared the 2023 Annual Progress Report in October 2024, highlighting that more than 1.3 million future deaths were averted in 2023 through Gavi-supported vaccination programmes. The report details progress on strategic goals and reveals that the number of...
DRC begins mpox vaccination drive with donated doses
WHO Africa reported in October 2024 that the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has started a vaccination campaign as part of outbreak control efforts against mpox. The vaccination drive has launched in the eastern North Kivu province and will prioritise health...
Rallying around Rwanda: Marburg vaccines delivered
A week after the declaration of a Marburg outbreak in Rwanda in September 2024, Sabin Vaccine Institute announced that it is providing doses of its investigational Marburg vaccine to support the outbreak response. An initial shipment of approximately 700 doses will be...
OvarianVax project secures Cancer Research UK funding
The University of Oxford announced in October 2024 that scientists working on ‘OvarianVax’ a vaccine to encourage the immune system to “recognise and attack” the earliest stages of ovarian cancer, have secured funding from Cancer Research UK. The team will receive up...
WHO launches SPRP for Aedes-borne arboviruses
WHO announced in October 2024 that it is launching the Global Strategic Preparedness, Readiness, and Response Plan (SPRP) to tackle dengue and other Aedes-borne arboviruses. The Plan is intended to reduce the burden of disease, suffering, and deaths from dengue and...
