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Launched in 2000, the GAVI Alliance (formerly the Global
Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization) is a public-private global health
partnership. Governments in industrialized and developing countries, UNICEF,
WHO, the World Bank, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation,
non-governmental organizations, vaccine manufacturers from industrialized and
developing countries, and public health and research institutions work
together as partners in an innovative partnership. GAVI Alliance resources
are designed to accelerate the development and introduction of new and
underutilized vaccines, enhance injection safety and strengthen routine
immunization services as well as the health systems that support immunization
and child health care services. Traditionally, GAVI funding has gone directly
to governments.
By the end of 2005, the GAVI Alliance recognized that
strengthening immunization programmes alone would not be sufficient to
increase and sustain immunization coverage levels. Unpredictable funding for
salaries, weak transport and outreach capacities, shortages of adequately
trained human resources and other system barriers all constrain the
attainment of high immunization coverage targets as well as child survival
goals. In response, GAVI opened up a Health System Strengthening (HSS)
funding window in 2006.
As a founding member of GAVII, the WHO has played a string
role in ensuring that the concept of HSS is firmly based on equitable access
and the guiding principles of the Alma Ata declaration.
WHO views Health System Strengthening (HSS) initiatives as
an opportunity to enhance and develop the capacity of health systems and the
operations structures fundamental to provision of a range of Public Health
interventions. Instead of targeting program-based constraints, such as
insufficient vaccine stores capacity, HSS strategies aim to reinforce health
system elements needed to provide a range of services including
immunizations, such as improving the national transport and logistics systems.
Effectively integrating program-based interventions, such as immunization
system strengthening, with other program- and disease-based efforts into a
more sector-wide approach is one common method. The support provided by HSS
planning can increase the effectiveness of providing integrated services,
promoting greater equity and helping to achieve goals of universal access to
all PHC services.
Key Links
 Integrated
health systems strengthening: An operational framework [PDF 433KB]
Paris Declaration
On Aid Effectiveness [PDF 99KB]
Revised
Guidelines for: GAVI Alliance Health
System Strengthening (HSS) Applications
March 2007 [PDF 115KB]
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