New Products into Old Systems

The context of public health provision is changing rapidly. New forms of funding are emerging through increasing support from the commercial private sector and private foundations. This research builds on Save the Children's long-term involvement in immunization services.

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The context of public health provision is changing rapidly. New forms of funding are emerging through increasing support from the commercial private sector and private foundations. "New Products into Old Systems" looks at one such joint public-private initiative (JPPI), GAVI, which was formed in 1999. Based on research in four countries - Mozambique, Ghana, Lesotho and Tanzania - this report examines the impact of GAVI on national health priorities and public health systems. It focuses on country experiences of applying for support, the capacity of systems to incorporate and utilize new vaccines effectively and sustainability. The report finds that, while most countries are glad of the political interest immunization systems are gaining through GAVI, they have concerns about a number of issues: the pressure to make rapid decisions on vaccine selection; the usefulness of reward and evaluation criteria; delays in vaccine availability; and problems related to needle disposal. As part of Save the Children's response to the emergence of JPPIs this research builds on the organisation's long-term involvement in immunization services.
It was undertaken with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, which has an active research interest in the relationship between global and national health policy in joint public private initiatives.