Document Code: GAVI/99.01
Printed: September 1999
Language: English Only
The following document is the official record of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) Proto-Board Meeting, held in Seattle, Washington, on 12–13 July 1999. This milestone meeting served as the foundational step toward forming GAVI as a partnership to combat preventable childhood diseases by improving access to vaccines. It brought together a wide array of public and private sector leaders, including international organizations, governments, research agencies, and non-governmental organizations.
GAVI was created in response to the alarming statistic that over two million children die each year from diseases that can be prevented through immunization. The full proceedings and annexes of the meeting are detailed below.
Executive Summary
Over two million children die every year from diseases that could have been prevented with vaccines. An estimated additional 4–6 million lives could be saved annually if vaccines against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria were widely available. The establishment of the GAVI Proto-Board was a significant step toward addressing this global health crisis.
Key outcomes of the Seattle meeting included:
- Establishing a Children’s Vaccine Fund to finance underutilized and new vaccines.
- Setting up a Governing Board, Secretariat, and Working Group to manage operations.
- Defining milestones to reduce vaccine-preventable disease burden by 2005.
- Planning for the public launch of GAVI, anticipated for early 2000.
Table of Contents
- Annex 1: Mission, Objectives, Functions, and Structure
- Annex 2: Secretariat’s Budget
- Annex 3: Task Forces Terms of Reference
- Annex 4: Costing of Milestones
- Annex 5: Next Steps
Annex 1: Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization: Mission, Objectives, Functions and Structure
This section describes the purpose, goals, and operational framework of GAVI as established at the 1999 Seattle meeting.
Mission Statement:
Every child deserves protection from vaccine-preventable diseases. GAVI seeks to save lives by ensuring access to safe and effective vaccines, focusing particularly on the needs of developing nations.
Strategic Objectives:
- Increase access to sustainable immunization services.
- Expand the use of all existing safe, cost-effective vaccines.
- Accelerate the development and introduction of new vaccines.
- Promote research and development of vaccines for diseases prevalent in developing countries.
- Integrate immunization into international development efforts.
Governance:
The Alliance is overseen by a Board comprising representatives from UNICEF, WHO, the World Bank, Gates Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, industry, bilateral agencies, and technical organizations. The Board sets overall policy, defines milestones, and approves strategic plans.
Working Structure:
- A Secretariat, based at UNICEF Geneva.
- A Working Group to implement Board decisions.
- Task Forces created to address priority areas.
Annex 2: Secretariat’s Budget
This section provides a detailed overview of the financial resources allocated to support the operations of the GAVI Secretariat over the 18-month period from July 1999 to December 2000. The budget reflects the costs associated with personnel, administration, travel, and task force activities.
Secretariat Budget (US$)
The table below summarizes the specific funding amounts dedicated to each category of the Secretariat’s operations, including staffing, travel, and task force support.
| Item | 1999 | 2000 |
| Professional staff | 353,682 | 750,372 |
| Support staff | 48,022 | 99,915 |
| Equipment & maintenance | 71,368 | 27,184 |
| Travel | 50,000 | 100,000 |
| Task Forces | 300,000 | 750,000 |
| Meetings & contractual work | 200,000 | 400,000 |
| Total | 1,023,072 | 2,127,372 |
Total Budget: $3,150,444 for the period 1 July 1999 – 31 December 2000.
The Secretariat’s budget illustrates the scale of coordination and planning needed to meet GAVI’s objectives. Significant allocations were dedicated to staffing and task forces, reflecting the importance of both administrative efficiency and targeted problem-solving teams.
Annex 3: Task Forces Terms of Reference
This section outlines the responsibilities and structure of the specialized task forces formed to address key areas of GAVI’s mission.
Task Force on Advocacy
The Task Force on Advocacy was created to promote a unified global vision for immunization. It worked to develop and communicate this vision to stakeholders worldwide. The task force played a critical role in engaging national governments, international donors, and public health agencies to secure their support and resources for GAVI’s initiatives.
By building partnerships and increasing awareness of immunization as a global priority, this task force laid the foundation for sustained international commitment.
Task Force on Country Coordination
The Task Force on Country Coordination focused on strengthening vaccine coordination efforts at the national level. Its main objective was to develop mechanisms to improve collaboration between countries and international partners such as UNICEF, WHO, and development banks.
The task force worked to bridge gaps between local, regional, and global efforts, ensuring that the delivery of immunization services was effectively supported and scaled in each participating nation.
Task Force on Financing
The Task Force on Financing was tasked with identifying and promoting sustainable funding strategies for vaccine programs, particularly in low-income countries. This group explored innovative financing models to make vaccines more affordable and accessible.
The task force worked with governments, donors, and the private sector to develop solutions that addressed the financial barriers to immunization. Through these efforts, they aimed to ensure the long-term viability of vaccination initiatives globally.
- Strengthen national vaccine coordination.
- Link local, regional, and global immunization efforts.
- Identify sustainable funding strategies for vaccine programs in low-income countries.
- Ensure affordability and explore innovative funding approaches.
Annex 4: Costing of Milestones
This section presents a detailed summary of the estimated financial requirements for achieving GAVI’s immunization goals from 2000 to 2007. It offers a clear view of how resources were projected to be allocated as GAVI expanded its efforts to increase vaccine coverage globally.
Estimated Annual Costs (US$ millions)
The following table outlines the annual estimated financial commitments associated with achieving the immunization milestones set by GAVI over the seven-year period.
| Year | M1 | M2 | M3 | M4 | Total |
| 2000 | 72 | 30 | 20 | 5 | 127 |
| 2001 | 72 | 60 | 40 | 5 | 177 |
| 2002 | 72 | 90 | 60 | 5 | 227 |
| 2003 | 72 | 90 | 80 | 5 | 247 |
| 2004 | 71 | 90 | 100 | 5 | 266 |
| 2005 | 71 | 90 | 106 | 5 | 272 |
| 2006 | – | 97 | – | 5 | 97 |
| 2007 | – | 105 | – | 5 | 105 |
| Total | 430 | 652 | 406 | 32 | 1,520 |
Milestones:
- M1: Achieve 80% routine immunization coverage.
- M2: Introduce Hepatitis B vaccines worldwide.
- M3: Introduce Hib vaccines in high-burden countries.
- M4: Conduct clinical trials for rotavirus and pneumococcus vaccines.
The projected total cost of $1.52 billion reflects a structured, phased approach to dramatically scale up vaccination coverage globally. The costs steadily increase between 2000 and 2005, corresponding to program scale-up, before tapering as targets are met.
Annex 5: Next Steps
This section provides an overview of the immediate and long-term activities planned following the conclusion of the Seattle meeting.
Pre-launch
In preparation for the official launch of GAVI, several critical steps were planned. The first priority was to develop measurable outcomes to track the effectiveness of the alliance’s initiatives. Securing firm commitments from key partners, including governments and global health organizations, was essential to ensure the alliance’s operational and financial stability.
The task also involved finalizing a comprehensive communications strategy to promote awareness of the initiative worldwide. The ultimate objective was to prepare for a highly coordinated, multi-site public launch scheduled for early 2000.
Post-launch
Following the official launch, GAVI planned to focus on translating strategy into action at the national level. The first step was to implement country-level rollout plans that aligned with local healthcare priorities and resources.
Continuous monitoring and review of program impacts were essential to ensure that objectives were being met and to allow for adjustments as needed. Additionally, the alliance prioritized optimizing vaccine procurement and supply chains to improve delivery efficiency and ensure that vaccines reached the populations most in need.
Document Details
Ordering Code: GAVI/99.01
Copyright: © Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization 1999
Contact:Dr. Tore Godal
Executive Secretary
Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization
UNICEF, 5-7 Avenue de la Paix, CH 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Tel: +41-22-9095-020
Fax: +41-22-9095-900
Email: tgodal@unicef.ch