The Canadian International Immunization Initiative - World Health Organization

This grant represents Canada's institutional support to the Canadian International Immunization Initiative (CIII). The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF jointly coordinate the multilateral portions of the CIII with the goal to increase and intensify immunization services for children at risk of contracting preventable and often fatal illnesses in low and middle-income countries. Immunization currently prevents more then 2.5 million deaths every year in all age groups. The current global coverage rate for immunization of children under a year old in 2007 was 81% up from 75% in 2003 with 117 countries reaching 90% or more in immunization coverage. Immunization is a universally recommended cost-effective public health priority. The CIII targets the following childhood diseases: diphtheria pertussis tetanus polio and measles. This portion of the CIII grant is supporting the work of the WHO. Canada's support for immunization initiatives are in line with the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of reducing the death rate among children under the age of five by two-thirds by 2015.