Accelerated Vaccine Introduction Initiative Technical Assistance Consortium

In 2009, PATH began supporting the GAVI Alliance’s Accelerated Vaccine Introduction (AVI) initiative in its efforts to broaden access to rotavirus and pneumococcal vaccines in the developing world and create a platform for introducing other new vaccines. Launched by the GAVI Alliance, AVI unites scientific, public health, policy, and management expertise in support of national immunization efforts. AVI helps governments address all aspects of successful vaccine introduction and sustained implementation, including vaccine procurement, the development of vaccine policies, financing, training, logistics, and delivery.

PATH is the lead partner in the AVI Technical Assistance Consortium (AVI TAC), a partnership funded by the GAVI Alliance that includes Johns Hopkins University, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and several research institutions working on vaccine introduction in low-income countries. Under AVI TAC, PATH, together with its partners, is accelerating the introduction and sustained use of vaccines by:

• Conducting research studies to document the real world effectiveness of rotavirus vaccines.
• Conducting research studies to identify ways to enhance rotavirus vaccine performance in low-resource settings.
• Conducting health economic studies to document the value and cost-effectiveness of rotavirus vaccines.
• Establishing vaccine strategic demand and supply forecasts to inform public- and private-sector decision-making.
• Undertaking advocacy and communication activities to increase awareness of the burden of rotavirus disease and the powerful impact of rotavirus vaccines in countries where children have access to them.
• Helping build political will at global and country levels to facilitate rotavirus vaccine introduction and support the financially sustainable use of vaccines.

As a result of AVI TAC’s efforts, countries are crafting sustainable plans for vaccine introduction, and international donors have stepped forward to support GAVI’s mission to fund vaccines for children in the world’s 73 poorest countries. Most importantly, children’s health and well-being is improving around the world as they begin to receive previously unavailable lifesaving vaccines.