Asia-Africa Cooperation in Vaccine Development
Project / Program Summary

1. Objectives
   
   The largest cause of death in the world is not heart disease, nor cancer, but infectious diseases. More than 52 million people die each year and roughly one-third of those deaths occur among children and young adults as a result of infectious diseases. Developing countries bear the burden of the majority of these 17 millions deaths per year.
   
   The loss of a child, a mother, a father or a worker to a preventable infectious disease is socially appalling, economically improverishing and ethically unacceptable. Vaccines are the most cost-effective medical intervention known to prevent death and disease. Yet, in recent years, the drive to deliver established children's vaccines has slackened and coverage rates in many countries has fallen; newly available vaccines that would have major public health and development impacts are being insufficiently used; and research and development investment in much needed new vaccines is inappropriately small.
   
   Based on the above observations, this project intends to assist developing country institutions in strengthening their capacity to conduct research on vaccine development, modernise quality control procedures to meet World Health Organisation (WHO) standards, and to conduct strategic research designed to accelerate vaccine introduction in poor countries.
2. Activities / contents
   
   The International Vaccine Institute (IVI), formally established in Seoul in 1997, was created by UNDP under the umbrella of the Children's Vaccine Initiative and according to procedures of the Vienna Convention. Activities of the IVI will focus on filling major gaps that exist in strategic research, product development, technical support and capacity building for vaccines of priority concern in developing countries. It will carry out its work in collaboration with UN and other international agencies.
   
   The IVI will strengthen institutional capacity in developing countries for vaccine development and the introduction of vaccines through, for example, training and technical assistance. In addition, the IVI will undertake strategic research designed to accelerate the introduction of vaccines, especially in poor countries. Such research will include a study of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and rotavirus disease burden in Asian as well as African countries and an evaluation of the effectiveness of a new cholera vaccine. These activities are critical pre-cursors for cost-effective approaches to reducing unnecessary deaths of the young and poor and to introducing and testing new vaccines into the Asian region and the world to reduce deaths and disability from infectious diseases.
   
   Research will be carried out in close consultation with WHO, UNIDEF and other international organisations, governments, the private sector and developing country researchers and institutions. Policy and programme guidance and well as support for resource mobilisation will be provided by the Institute's Board of Trustees, Scientific and Advisory Committee and Institute Support Council.
   
   Innovative nature of project:
   
   The IVI is the world's only international institute established under the auspices of the United Nations dedicated to research and development for vaccines against infectious diseases that affect the poor, and especially children. it is a concrete example of innovative action that has been taken in response to recommendations from the World Summit for Children (New York, 1990). Support for the IVI at this critical juncture will catalyse both regional co-operations for vaccine development and closer co-operation between the public and private sectors for a public good. In a time of rapidly emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, the IVI is a unique initiative that aims to accelerate the introduction of new and improved vaccines in poor countries. Without the presence of the IVI to facilitate co-operation between the public and private sectors, it is unlikely that the financial risk would be taken by industry to develop these important vaccines.
3. Expected outcomes / impacts
4. Potential Partners:
   
   Proposal submitted by UNDP on behalf of the IVI and its partners: UNDP, WHO, UNICEF, Children's Vaccine Initiative, Government of Korea, 32 member states of the United Nations, pharmaceutical companies, Rockefeller Foundation, USAID, US/NIH, public and private institutions in both regions.
5. Features in line with the Agenda for Action
   • Capacity Building
   • Strengthening South-South Cooperation

Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, UNDP