Words by Isabel O’Brien
A new £300m bond has been issued by the International Finance Facility for Immunisation (IFFIm), taking the total raised by the financing vehicle past the $10bn mark.
IFFIm was set up to help fund immunisation programmes in under-resourced regions via organisations like the Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. The body raises money upfront by turning long-term government pledges, like those from the UK, into immediate funding. Almost 90% of the new bond total came from UK-based firms, reinforcing the country’s commitment to socially responsible financing for global health.
“IFFIm’s success is a testament to the UK’s leadership in harnessing the power of financial markets for global good,” said Ken Lay, Chair, IFFIm Board. “This bond underscores not only the deep trust of our investors but also the critical role of the UK’s private sector in sustaining vaccine equity worldwide.”
Since launching in 2006, IFFIm has helped accelerate the rollout of vaccines for a number of diseases, such as Ebola, HPV and malaria. In fact, its funding supported the first-ever malaria vaccine introduction in 20 African countries and made up more than 20% of Gavi’s total investment in HPV vaccines worldwide.
