Immunization in developing countries

Vaccines are one of the most effective, evidence-based public health interventions available. They save over 4 million lives each year. They help people of all ages to live longer, healthier lives. We have made progress in recent decades. We now have vaccines for more than 20 life-threatening diseases. Yet almost 20 million children (about 20% of children born each year) don't have enough access to vaccines.

Vaccines are critical in low and middle-income countries. They prevent life-threatening diseases such as:

• Ebola
• HPV
• polio
• Japanese encephalitis
• malaria
• measles
• cholera
• typhoid
• COVID-19

They are a key tool to prevent, prepare for and respond to health emergencies and pandemics. They strengthen global health security. Immunization is also highly cost-effective, with a return on investment of US$54 for every $1 spent.

There are many steps involved in getting vaccines to the people who need them most. It starts with research and development. It’s followed by vaccine licensing and manufacturing. Then vaccines are bought, stored and distributed to health facilities, mobile clinics or door-to-door campaigns. As part of vaccination planning and delivery, we must continue to engage with communities. We need to understand their needs and what is blocking their access to vaccines. All these efforts require a strong and resilient health system.

What is Canada doing?

Canada is a champion of equitable access to immunization. We are a key donor to immunization partners such as:

• Gavi
• Global Fund
• Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI)
• UNICEF
• Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI)
• Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)
• Medicines Patent Pool (MPP)

Canada’s support for Gavi has helped immunize more than 1 billion children.

Canada is invested at every stage of the immunization process. We support efforts to strengthen health systems in low- and middle-income countries. This helps them to meet their ongoing immunization needs and respond in times of crisis.

Research, development and manufacturing

From 2017 to 2024, Canada has contributed more than $214 million to CEPI. This funding helps speed up the development and manufacturing of vaccines. They will protect people from a range of known and emerging infectious diseases. This includes those with pandemic potential. Canada’s funding also helps to support global equitable access to vaccines during outbreaks, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

Producing vaccines closer to the people who need them helps improve global health security and increase access to vaccines. This is a priority for Canada’s international assistance. Canada contributed $45 million to the Medicines Patent Pool and the WHO mRNA Technology Transfer Programme. They support a network of manufacturing facilities in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Canada is also working with PAHO to make sure countries in the Americas have strong rules and systems to produce vaccines.

Access to immunization

Canada is a long-standing supporter of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Gavi brings together governments and partners to deliver essential vaccines to low- and middle-income countries. Since its inception, Canada has provided $1.6 billion to support Gavi’s work, with a focus on reaching children with life-saving routine immunizations, delivering vaccines during acute disease outbreaks, and investing in and rolling out new vaccines and immunization initiatives, including malaria and HPV.

Since 2000, Canada has provided over $940 million to GPEI to help eradicate polio by 2026.
Canada’s support helps GPEI partners:

• immunize every child against polio
• detect new polio cases
• enable health workers to respond to outbreaks as soon as they occur

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada was a leading donor to the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) Facility. COVAX supported equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines across the world. COVAX procured and administered nearly 2 billion vaccine doses in more than 146 countries. COVAX  vaccines accounted for about 79% of all doses used in low-income countries throughout the pandemic.

In early 2022 Canada launched Canada’s Global Initiative for Vaccine Equity (CanGIVE) in partnership with:

• UNICEF
• WHO
• PAHO
• MPP

CanGIVE is a $317 million initiative. It strengthens vaccine delivery systems and community outreach to:

• reach high-priority and marginalized groups
• integrate COVID-19 prevention and care into routine health services
• increase regional vaccine production capacity ahead of future health emergencies

Related links

• Canada’s aid and development assistance in response to the COVID-19 pandemic
• Covid 19: Canada’s Global Initiative for Vaccine Equity
• Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance
• Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI)
• World Health Organization
• Medicines Patent Pool – Global mRNA Technology Transfer Programme
• PAHO Immunization
• CEPI
• UNICEF