Gavi Applauds Ethiopia’s Role in Shaping Africa’s Public Health Future

Addis Ababa, October 19, 2025 (FMC) — Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has applauded Ethiopia’s growing leadership in shaping the future of public health across Africa, citing the country’s strong commitment to system strengthening, regional cooperation, and equitable vaccine access.

The remarks came during a bilateral meeting between Gavi Chief Executive Officer Dr. Sania Nishtar and Ethiopia’s Minister of Finance, Ahmed Shide, held on the sidelines of the 2025 World Bank–IMF Annual Meetings in Washington, D.C.

On the occasion, Dr. Sania Nishtar commended Ethiopia for its active contributions to the Africa CDC and congratulated the country for achieving the World Health Organization’s Maturity Level 3 in health system performance — a milestone that underscores national progress and continental influence.

She reaffirmed Gavi’s commitment to deepening collaboration with Ethiopia in building sustainable, resilient health systems.

Minister Ahmed Shide expressed appreciation for Gavi’s longstanding partnership and support to Ethiopia’s health sector, noting that immunization remains a central pillar of the country’s health strategy and a vital investment in human capital development.

He highlighted recent achievements, including nationwide measles and polio vaccination campaigns that reached tens of millions of children, as well as the Big Catch-Up initiative, which provided vaccines to nearly one million previously unvaccinated children.

Both sides agreed to explore new avenues of collaboration — including blended and results-based financing mechanisms — to strengthen the sustainability of Ethiopia’s health infrastructure and further enhance immunization outcomes.