Istanbul — Within the coronary heart of Istanbul, a strong alliance emerged final week as 21 Members of Parliament (MPs) from throughout Africa and Asia gathered with a shared mission: to champion sustainable immunization financing of their nations.
The 2-day discussion board, organized by the International Well being Advocacy Incubator (GHAI) with help from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, marked a watershed second in parliamentary advocacy for public well being.
Parliamentarians maintain a novel place within the equipment of presidency. As elected representatives, they function each the voice of their constituents and as essential oversight our bodies for government actions.
Their capacity to affect coverage, allocate budgets and maintain governments accountable makes them indispensable allies within the combat in opposition to vaccine-preventable ailments – ailments that proceed to say far too many younger lives.
“We have witnessed a strong convergence: 21 parliamentary leaders have come collectively to concern a landmark name to motion,” famous Vandana Shah, Vice President of Well being Methods Strengthening at GHAI.
“They’re demanding their governments prioritize home immunization funding to succeed in each little one, eradicate the tragedy of zero-dose kids, and safeguard each public well being and international safety.”
Montserrado County District #5 Consultant Madam Prescilla Abram Cooper indicators on behalf of Liberia because the Istanbul Parliamentary Name to Motion for Immunization Financing.
Constructing a Parliamentary Motion
The discussion board, held April 15-16, 2025, introduced collectively parliamentary champions from Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Laos, Liberia, Madagascar, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Zambia.
These weren’t simply any parliamentarians – they had been rigorously chosen well being advocates, with 16 serving on Well being Committees (9 as chairs), two chairing current Parliamentary Immunization Caucuses, and others holding key positions in finance and nationwide immunization advisory teams.
The aims had been clear: foster collaboration, share efficient methods, develop actionable plans and set up a parliamentary community devoted to growing political will and home assets for sustainable immunization financing.
With many nations navigating Gavi transitions and the Alliance’s essential 2026-2030 replenishment on the horizon, the timing could not have been extra essential.
The Parliamentary delegation from Liberia (Hon. Marie Grayon Johnson, Consultant Prescilla Abram Cooper, Senator Dabah Varpilah, Emmanuel Tieh Delamy GHAI Nation Coordinator, Consultant Julie Fatorma Wiah, Consultant Rugie Yatu Barry, and Joyce Kilikpo, the Govt Director of GHAI’s CSO companion, Public Well being Initiative Liberia.
Immunization Financing Challenges in Liberia:
Liberia’s immunization program stays closely reliant on exterior donors, together with Gavi, the International Fund, and USAID. Based on the 2025 Nationwide Well being Finances, lower than 10% is allotted to immunization–posing a severe danger to this system’s sustainability.
As of 2022, the federal government was contributing solely about 10% of the wanted funds, whereas donor companions lined the remainder, together with 98% of salaries for Nationwide Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) employees.
Protection indicators additionally spotlight persistent gaps: DTP3 protection: 70%, Measles protection: 68% (DHS 2019-20), Underneath-5 mortality: 93 per 1,000 reside births, PHC entry stays particularly restricted in rural areas.
Whereas Liberia’s Nationwide Well being Coverage and Strategic Plan (2022-2030) emphasizes common well being protection and little one survival by way of immunization, implementation remains to be largely donor-dependent, requiring stronger political and monetary dedication.
Landmark Outcomes
On the shut of the discussion board, Senator Dabah M. Varplilah learn and formally signed The Istanbul Parliamentary Name to Motion, affirming Liberia’s dedication to making sure the long-term sustainability of immunization financing.
The discussion board culminated within the adoption of the Istanbul Parliamentary Name to Motion for Immunization Financing – a daring declaration that outlines particular commitments and appeals to a number of stakeholders.
On this highly effective assertion, the parliamentarians known as upon their governments to -rapidly undertake insurance policies to mobilize home assets for immunization and first well being care.
Meet Gavi co-financing obligations, demonstrating dedication and guaranteeing program continuity.
Set up clear, sustainable long-term financing mechanisms for elevated nation possession.
Assist high-quality regional vaccine manufacturing to strengthen provide resilience.
The Name to Motion additionally urged worldwide companions and donors to proceed strong funding in immunization, together with supporting Gavi’s bold objective to boost $9 billion for its 2026-2030 interval. These funds are very important to guard 500 million extra kids, allow responses to 150 illness outbreaks, and help the introduction of recent life-saving vaccines.
Most importantly, the parliamentarians constituted themselves into an Africa-Asia Parliamentary Community. This devoted physique goals to amplify advocacy for elevated home well being budgets, strengthen parliamentary oversight of immunization applications and facilitate the sharing of finest practices throughout continents.
The Liberian delegation outlined the next live performance precedence actions to observe up on the Istanbul Name to Motion:
Briefing of Parliamentary Well being Committees on outcomes from the discussion board to construct funds help
Institution of a Parliamentary Coalition on Home Useful resource Mobilization for Immunization
Conducting a nationwide Immunization & PHC Financing Hole Evaluation
Convene stakeholder consultations to strategize elevated home funding for immunization
Parliamentarians pose with their signed Name to Motion for Immunization Financing.
From Phrases to Motion
The impression of the discussion board was quick. Even earlier than leaving Istanbul, nation delegations developed particular motion plans. The MPs from Madagascar held a press convention on the airport upon their return, declaring their intention to develop a parliamentary caucus on immunization financing.
Comparable commitments emerged from Liberia for caucus formation, whereas Laos and Ghana pledged to create multi-stakeholder coalitions.
Prof. Mayfong Mayxay from the Laos Nationwide Meeting was upbeat about his plan to collaborate with civil society organizations CSOs throughout the nation on advocacy and funding efforts.
“We may even talk about how we are able to arrange a Vaccine Belief Fund to fill the gaps — particularly the 2025 funding hole of about 700,000 US {dollars} — which the federal government might want to contribute as a part of the co-financing with Gavi,” he stated.
Hon. Dabah N Varpilah, Chair of Liberia’s Senate Committee on Well being, expressed sturdy dedication: “I’ll convene a committee assembly to transient my colleagues… 100% help for with the ability to domestically increase assets to finance vaccines and plenty of major well being points.”
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For Hon. Christopher Kang’ombe, Chair of the Committee on Well being on the Nationwide Meeting of Zambia, the crucial was clear: “How will we be sure that kids develop into adults? We clearly must safeguard their progress, and a technique… is clearly guaranteeing that they’re vaccinated to forestall ailments.”
The discussion board additionally strengthened the essential partnership between parliamentarians and CSOs. As Hamzah Mangal Zekrya, Senior Supervisor of Strategic Partnership at Gavi, noticed, their relationship is like “two sides of the identical coin,” recognizing that CSOs typically voice views that parliamentarians could also be politically constrained from expressing.
A New Chapter in Immunization Advocacy
This historic gathering represents greater than only a assembly – it marks the start of a strong parliamentary motion for immunization financing throughout two continents. By leveraging their distinctive positions, these parliamentary champions are poised to drive sustainable home useful resource mobilization.
That is important for guaranteeing that well being programs can constantly ship vaccines, defending communities 12 months after 12 months, particularly as nations transition from donor help.
With Gavi having already helped immunize 1.1 billion kids since 2000, the stakes and alternatives are clear. By way of this new community and their particular person nation actions, these parliamentarians are usually not simply advocating for funds traces – they’re championing the precise of each little one to develop up wholesome and protected against preventable ailments, constructing a basis for a extra affluent future.
