GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance has announced the launch of the Zero-Dose Immunization Programme (ZIP), a $100 million initiative aimed at identifying and reaching children living in displaced communities and fragile settings who have not yet received a single routine vaccine shot.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) and World Vision (WV) will lead the initiative, which begins with a three-month inception phase during which zero-dose children will be identified alongside the unique barriers preventing immunization access. Children living in areas outside government reach, as well as mobile populations and refugees, will be prioritized. In the implementation phase, detailed workplans and relevant targets will be developed.

Working with Acasus, Flowminder, IOM, ThinkPlace, and local organizations, IRC will focus efforts in Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan. WV, in partnership with the African Christian Health Association Platform, Food for the Hungry, CORE Group, and local partners, will focus efforts in Chad, Niger, Nigeria, the Central African Republic, Cameroon, Mali, and Burkina Faso. Governments will play a central role in the program.

“Lower-income countries have made remarkable progress in immunization over the last two decades, but too many children, particularly those in hard-to-reach areas and fragile and conflict settings, are still missing out on life-saving vaccines. We have an opportunity now to build on the progress so far, and reach ‘zero-dose’ children with vaccines as well as other essential health services,” said GAVI deputy CEO Anuradha Gupta. “There is a reason these communities are consistently missed, and therefore to achieve our goal we need innovative approaches, dedicated focus and resourcing, and new partnerships to address their unique needs and realities. Today’s ZIP launch is an exciting paradigm shift in how we can reach those left furthest behind.”

(Photo credit: Getty Images/hadynyah)