LSTM to host global health research symposium ahead of vaccine summit in London

On Thursday 26 March, the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) will bring together high-level representatives from organisations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and key stakeholders in the private and public sectors along with scientists and doctors.

In partnership with the UK government Department for International Development (DFID), the high-level Global Health Research & Development symposium will set out the future of how vaccines can help end preventable diseases like rotavirus and typhoid and halt the spread of new health challenges like Ebola.

It will be the biggest UK event in the run-up to the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi) Replenishment Summit in London in June – the world’s biggest vaccine summit aiming to raise billions of pounds to save millions of lives through vaccinations in the next five years.

Professor David Lalloo, Director of LSTM, says: “This symposium will bring together leading Global Health researchers, industry leaders and senior government representatives from around the world. I am very proud that LSTM will host this symposium, which will be instrumental in ensuring the Gavi replenishment summit in the summer will meet its targets.”

Ministers of DFID will be present at the symposium to further emphasise the UK’s commitment to ending preventable disease worldwide as one of GAVI’s biggest supporters.

Secretary of State for International Development, the Rt Hon Alok Sharma MP says: “”Research from institutions like the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and University of Liverpool is helping to save millions of lives worldwide through vaccinations. This event will be a big step to helping secure the future of global vaccinations when the UK hosts the Gavi replenishment summit this summer. Ensuring the world’s poorest people get vaccinated is a vital part of the UK’s commitment to end the preventable deaths of mothers and children worldwide by 2030.”

The symposium will highlight the role of UK global health research in general and Liverpool’s City Region in particular on preventing deaths in low- and middle income countries and settings. This will be done via presentations and panel discussions focusing on the development of new tools and approaches for infectious disease and vector control as well as discussing innovations for vaccine delivery to ensure equitable access.

The replenishment conference in June 2020 for the vaccine alliance, Gavi, will be one of the biggest health summits ever hosted by the UK. Gavi has already ensured that 700 million of the world’s poorest children are vaccinated since 2000, saving 10 million lives whilst promoting global health security and greater primary healthcare and as such fits with LSTM’s vision of breaking the cycle of poor health and poverty.

The replenishment pledging conference itself will be hosted by the UK government. It will be held in London 0n 3 – 4 June 2020 and aims to secure $7.4 billion for Gavi’s programmes for the period 2021-2025.

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