Gavi CEO’s Pakistan visit Reinforces Commitment to Stronger Immunization Partnerships

It was an honor for MERF-Medical Emergency Resilience Foundation, to participate in a meeting with Dr. Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, during her visit to Pakistan in Peshawar, where she engaged with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) working to strengthen immunization services across Pakistan.

MERF highlighted its contributions through three Gavi supported initiatives, including the HPV Vaccination Program in AJK, the HPV initiative in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and the Improved Immunization Project in KP. Our project managers shared the progress made, challenges faced, and the impact of reaching every child with routine immunization against vaccine preventable diseases while protecting adolescent girls through HPV vaccination to help prevent cervical cancer.

The discussion reaffirmed the importance of strong partnerships, community engagement, and coordinated efforts to ensure that lifesaving vaccines reach every eligible child and adolescent, especially in underserved and hard to reach communities.

Supported by Gavi, MERF has reached hundreds of thousands of children in project districts across Pakistan, bringing lifesaving vaccines closer to every child and strengthening community immunization systems.

The meeting was also attended by senior representatives from MannionDaniels, the Government of Pakistan, the Health Department, the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), and other partner organizations, reflecting a shared commitment to building a healthier future for all.