Paying the bill

The GAVI Alliance held its first pledging conference in June. Donors promised $3.4 billion over the next 5 years. That’s $600,000 more than GAVI had actually requested. GAVI officials say donors recognize that childhood vaccines have a very good return on investment.

The vaccine against pneumococcal disease costs about $3.50 per dose, while the rotavirus vaccine costs about $7.00 per dose. However an announcement is expected in October about a significant drop in price for the rotavirus vaccine.

While GAVI pays the bulk of the cost, countries are required to pay a share, usually about 20 cents per dose.

Sudan is among the countries now receiving the two vaccines, but South Sudan is not. Before they can be administered in South Sudan, at least 50 percent of the children there must be up to date on their vaccines for diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus. GAVI is currently working with health officials to make that happen.

In all, the alliance plans to immunize over 250 million children by 2015.