Sierra Leone Secures US$60.97 Million Gavi Funding for Immunisation
Sierra Leone has secured a US$60.97 million funding package from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to support its national immunisation programme from 2026 to 2030.
The funding is expected to expand access to life-saving vaccines, including the malaria vaccine in Western Area Urban and a new hepatitis B vaccine dose for newborns.
Under the plan, Western Area Urban will become the 16th district to benefit from the malaria vaccination programme, extending coverage across the country. The expansion is expected to protect an additional 40,000 children annually.
The programme will also introduce a hepatitis B birth dose in government hospitals, with newborns expected to receive the vaccine within 24 hours of delivery. The intervention is aimed at reducing the risk of mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B.
The Ministry of Health says Sierra Leone has maintained routine immunisation coverage above 90 per cent over the past five years, attributing the achievement to sustained efforts to strengthen the national immunisation programme.
Figures cited by the Ministry's #300DaysOfActivism campaign indicate that malaria accounts for approximately 30 per cent of child deaths in Sierra Leone, with most cases recorded in Western Area Urban.
Health Minister Austin Demby has emphasised the importance of sustaining the country's immunisation gains and extending vaccine protection to more children.
The government has also committed to meeting its co-financing obligations under the Gavi-supported programme to help sustain immunisation services throughout the funding period.
The investment is expected to strengthen Sierra Leone's national immunisation programme, improve protection against malaria and hepatitis B, and expand access to essential vaccines.
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