IFFIm had provided US$ 1.2 billion (31 Dec 2011) to support low-income countries applying for GAVI's new and underused vaccine support
With funds provided by IFFIm, the GAVI Alliance has had a catalytic effect on increasing uptake of underused vaccines in the poorest countries.
Diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis
Dramatic and significant inroads have been made with basic DTP3 immunisation coverage (three doses of the diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus vaccine) approaching 80 %, a remarkable achievement driven by the countries themselves.
The introduction of the five-in-one pentavalent vaccine, funded by GAVI with support from IFFIm, has played a major role in protecting children against DTP plus two more potential killers: hepatitis B (hepB) and Haemophilus influenzae type B, commonly known as Hib.
HepB generally attacks much later in life but Hib is the cause of meningitis and pneumonia, which are both big killers of children in their first few months of life.
It is estimated that Hib kills 370,000 children every year, in addition to leaving the majority of those who survive with lifelong disabilities including paralysis, deafness, mental retardation and learning disabilities.
Funding through IFFIm
By the end of 2010, 57 GAVI-eligible countries had been approved for funding for pentavalent vaccine, 59 of which had already introduced the vaccine, according to the WHO.
US$ 196 million have been dedicated for a tactical investment to support the supply of pentavalent vaccine, with 90% of the funding coming from IFFIm.
GAVI's purchasing power has stimulated supply by encouraging manufacturers to increase production capacity - an example of GAVI's market-shaping influence.
Reducing child mortality
In Uganda, which was one of the first GAVI-supported countries to vaccinate children with the pentavalent vaccine, Hib was virtually eliminated in just five years, preventing 30,000 cases of severe Hib disease and 5,000 child deaths every year.
The pentavalent vaccine is expected to prevent 90 % of Hib-related deaths, making a huge difference to children's health and also contributing to efforts to reach the Millennium Development Goal to reduce child mortality by two thirds by 2015.
