Gavi, IFRC and UNICEF to collaborate on emergency response in Palestine

• Gavi will provide over US$ 20 million to help immunise children living in Gaza, West Bank and within Palestinian populations in Lebanon

• The funding, disbursed through UNICEF and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), will contribute towards maintaining routine and emergency vaccinations plus access to other essential services such as nutrition

• The support comes at a critical time, with deteriorating health conditions due to conflict leaving communities unprotected and vulnerable to the spread of disease

Geneva / Amman, 4 October 2024 - Thousands of conflict-afflicted people living in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon are set to receive essential vaccines, thanks to US$ 20 million of new funding from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi).

The funding, which will be channeled through UNICEF and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), will complement the efforts of the Palestinian Ministry of Health to restore critical health services. In addition to the delivery of lifesaving routine vaccines to communities most in need, Gavi has also approved a waiver to enable Palestine to access vaccines at no-cost through the global Gavi-funded vaccine stockpiles managed by WHO's International Coordinating Group (ICG) mechanism, in the event of cholera and meningitis outbreaks.

"Gavi is committed to helping address the urgent health and humanitarian crisis in Palestine and for the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon," said Dr Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. "We commend the tireless efforts of our partners, who continue to deliver essential health services in the most challenging conditions. Together, we must do everything we can to ensure that children, amid the horror of their daily lives, are given every opportunity to access their basic right to a healthy start in life."

As part of the package of support US$ 2 million, channeled through UNICEF, will support the delivery of vaccines, and the rehabilitation of critical infrastructure such as cold chain equipment used to store vaccines. It will also support the solarization of five health facilities, enhancing their capacity to provide maternal and newborn care, along with a range of other integrated health services. US$ 11.8 million, approved through Gavi's Fragility, Emergencies and Displaced Populations Policy - will finance the procurement of routine vaccines as well as technical assistance through UNICEF.

"In conflict-affected settings such as the State of Palestine and Lebanon, children are among the most vulnerable, and immunization is often their last line of defense. This funding is not just an investment in vaccines - it's an investment in their lives," said Adele Khodr, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa. "In Gaza, since the onset of the conflict, UNICEF has managed to procure and deliver more than 1.55 million doses of different vaccines administered through routine vaccination; and over 1.65 million doses of polio vaccine recently used to respond to the polio outbreak in Gaza. We continue calling for a ceasefire to allow children and women to access essential lifesaving health interventions including vaccination."

The remaining US$ 7.3 million, managed by the IFRC, will help the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) and Lebanese Red Cross (LRC) reach the most vulnerable: 'zero-dose' children - those who have never received a single routine vaccine - as well as children who have missed out on critical routine immunisations in Gaza due to the crisis. Equally, a push will be made to reach Palestinian refugees, living in camps in Lebanon, with critical vaccines. In parallel, nutrition supplements and food parcels will be distributed by IFRC to families with malnourished children or mothers who have limited access to quality meals, an effort that aims to also address broader health challenges.

"Every child in Gaza, the West Bank, and those residing in refugee camps in Lebanon deserves a chance at a healthy life. In the face of unimaginable hardship, the dedicated volunteers of the Palestine Red Crescent Society and Lebanese Red Cross put their well-being and safety on the line to deliver life-saving vaccines. The recent polio campaign, reaching over half a million young lives, demonstrates the immense trust families place in vaccines and the organizations seeking to deliver them," said IFRC's Secretary General, Jagan Chapagain. "Our partnership with Gavi offers hope, yet that hope dims with each passing day that our teams can't safely reach those in desperate need because of insecurity and lack of access. Volunteers aren't just delivering vaccines - they're delivering futures and the fundamental right to health. The safety of humanitarians must be guaranteed so they can continue their humanitarian work without fear."

IFRC, and its member Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, play a crucial role in global immunization efforts. Their volunteers, deeply rooted in local communities, build trust and ensure that children receive essential vaccines. By tailoring their approaches to diverse needs and contexts, Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies bridge gaps in healthcare access, particularly in vulnerable and conflict-affected areas. Their work combats vaccine misinformation and helps prevent the spread of preventable diseases.

Palestine has historically maintained high immunization coverage. In 2022, the coverage rate for the first dose of the diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP)-containing vaccine - a commonly used proxy for overall immunisation coverage, was 99.43%, a testament to the resilience of its health system and the commitment of health care workers. However, the ongoing conflict has led to infrastructure damage, severe water and food shortages, and the disruption of essential services in the Gaza Strip, fracturing the routine immunization and health care system and leaving children at high risk of contracting devastating infectious diseases. Gavi is encouraged by the success of the recent polio vaccination campaign in reaching vulnerable children, and as the conflict evolves, all partners, remain steadfast in our commitment to ensure no child is left behind in accessing the life-saving power of vaccines.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Cirũ Kariũki, Gavi
+41 79 913 94 41
[email protected]

Meg Sharafudeen, Gavi
+41 79 711 55 54
[email protected]

Ammar Ammar, UNICEF
00962791837388
[email protected]

Mey El Sayegh, Beirut, IFRC
+961 03 229 352

Tommaso Della Longa, Geneva, IFRC
+41 79 708 43 67
[email protected]

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