Gavi and Mastercard Join Forces to Reach More Children with Lifesaving Vaccines

Strengthening efficiency and reach of health services in developing countries with digital immunization records

Mastercard and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance announced at a high-level conference for Gavi’s 2018 mid-term review, a new transformative partnership to ensure more children from the poorest countries are able to benefit from life-saving immunization programs.

Although major progress has been made to increase immunization rates, one in five children in Gavi-supported countries are still not reached with basic lifesaving vaccines. In many developing countries, common barriers may include a lack of information about a child’s immunization record and limited means by which to remind care givers about follow up appointments.

This partnership will leverage Mastercard expertise and technology, enabling ministries of health and authorized health workers to provide a card with a digital immunization record, to each participating child’s caregiver. By empowering caregivers to stay on track to receive critical vaccinations, the program aims to strengthen the efficiency and reach of health services in developing countries where children are most at risk of missing out on immunization. Governments will benefit from having a better understanding of the immunization needs of their communities.

“Access to services like healthcare and education are vital to helping families build a promising future. By applying our technology to humanitarian and development challenges, we can help optimize and scale life-saving programs in underserved communities around the world,” said Michael Froman, vice chairman and president of strategic growth at Mastercard.

“Children, especially those living in the most remote, impoverished communities, lack immunization records,” said Dr. Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. “That represents an enormous impediment to Gavi’s mission of ensuring that every child worldwide receives the essential vaccines they need to survive and thrive. This partnership with Mastercard has the potential to overcome that challenge.”

The partnership aims to be implemented across five countries over the next two years with the goal of expanding the solution to all other interested Gavi-supported countries, based notably, on mutually agreed targets being met.

About Mastercard
Mastercard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a technology company in the global payments industry. Our global payments processing network connects consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. Mastercard products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MastercardNews, join the discussion on the Beyond the Transaction Blog and subscribe for the latest news on the Engagement Bureau.

About Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance is a public-private partnership committed to saving children’s lives and protecting people’s health by increasing equitable use of vaccines in lower-income countries. The Vaccine Alliance brings together developing country and donor governments, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank, the vaccine industry, technical agencies, civil society, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other private sector partners. Gavi uses innovative finance mechanisms, including co-financing by recipient countries, to secure sustainable funding and adequate supply of quality vaccines. Since 2000, Gavi has contributed to the immunization of nearly 700 million children and the prevention of 10 million future deaths.

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance is supported by donor governments (Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, the People’s Republic of China, Principality of Monaco, Republic of Korea, Russia, South Africa, Spain, the State of Qatar, the Sultanate of Oman, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States of America, the European Commission, Alwaleed Philanthropies, the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as well as private and corporate partners (Absolute Return for Kids, Anglo American plc., The Audacious Project, The Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, China Merchants Group, Comic Relief, Deutsche Post DHL, Dutch Postcode Lottery, the ELMA Vaccines and Immunization Foundation, Girl Effect, The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Wholesalers (IFPW), the Gulf Youth Alliance, JP Morgan, “la Caixa” Foundation, LDS Charities, Lions Clubs International Foundation, Majid Al Futtaim, Orange,  Philips, RB, Red Nose Day Fund, Unilever, UPS and Vodafone). Learn more at www.gavi.org and connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

Source: Mastercard