GENEVA, Switzerland – President Julius Maada Bio has welcomed Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance’s approval of a US$60.967 million funding package for Sierra Leone under the Gavi 6.0 programme, describing the support as a significant boost to the country’s efforts to strengthen immunisation services and protect vulnerable communities.
The President made the remarks during a high-level meeting with Gavi Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Sania Nishtar, at the organisation’s headquarters in Geneva on Tuesday.
President Bio praised the longstanding partnership between Sierra Leone and Gavi, noting that the alliance has played a critical role in expanding access to vaccines, improving healthcare delivery and protecting children from preventable diseases.
“Sierra Leone greatly values its partnership with Gavi and its contribution to protecting the health and lives of our people, particularly our children,” he said.
He highlighted gains achieved through the collaboration, including increased immunisation coverage, the introduction of life-saving vaccines and improved health services in hard-to-reach communities across the country.
The President also reaffirmed his government’s commitment to sustaining progress in the health sector, revealing that Sierra Leone has exceeded its recent vaccine co-financing obligations and allocated approximately US$4.8 million in domestic funding for immunisation programmes between 2026 and 2030.
According to him, the government continues to finance more than 2,500 immunisation personnel nationwide while strengthening accountability mechanisms through the ongoing 300 Days of Activism for Triple Zero campaign, which seeks to eliminate preventable maternal and child deaths and improve access to essential healthcare services.
President Bio further appealed for continued support to sustain malaria vaccination coverage beyond 2027 and stressed the importance of predictable funding disbursements to ensure uninterrupted immunisation services through the implementation period of the Gavi 6.0 programme.
Dr. Nishtar commended President Bio’s leadership and advocacy for global immunisation efforts, describing his commitment to public health as both impressive and inspiring.
She noted that Sierra Leone has emerged as a strong example of progress in vaccine delivery and healthcare improvement, while praising the country’s Triple Zero initiative as an innovative approach to addressing public health challenges.
“You are deeply committed to these issues, and your knowledge and understanding of them are remarkable,” she told the President.
Gavi’s investment comes as Sierra Leone continues to record strong immunisation outcomes, with national coverage for key vaccines exceeding 90 percent. The alliance has also supported the country’s health sector through the provision of cold-chain infrastructure, vaccine transportation vehicles, operational support during the Mpox outbreak and assistance for the national Ebola preventive vaccination campaign.
The new funding package is expected to help consolidate those gains while expanding access to life-saving vaccines and strengthening the country’s health system over the next five years.
