Education Above All Foundation (EAA) and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, have announced a new partnership to improve children’s health through community outreach and advocacy for immunisation in countries in Africa and Asia.
The partnership aims to identify communities with out-of-school children and where low levels of vaccination have been recorded. They will then develop a joint community outreach strategy to improve rates of immunisation.
The partnership is an important means by which the organisations can show their significant contribution towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Together, Education Above All and Gavi will work to improve health and wellbeing in some of the world’s most deprived communities,” said
H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Founder and Chairperson of EAA Foundation and member of the United Nations SDG Advocates. She believes a collaborative approach to development is crucial.
“This is just one example of the role education can play as a driver for human development, showing that increased access to quality education can support the achievement of wider development aims”.
This partnership is the first of its kind for Gavi and EAA to target both SDG 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all, and SDG 4, which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education. It is also a showcase for SDG 17, to revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development.
“Education plays a crucial role in raising awareness of health challenges and shaping the attitudes and behaviours that can make a difference,“ said Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
During a meeting with Sheikha Moza in Doha, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, chair of the Gavi Board underlined that “overwhelming evidence demonstrates the benefits of immunisation as one of the most successful and cost-effective public health interventions. Minimising the burden of illness through immunisation will positively affect a child’s ability to attend school and attain high education levels.”
