Application is Open for Gavi, Seedstars’ INFUSE 2024 to Promote Climate-resilient Actions
In an effort to strengthen health systems against climate threats and improve immunization delivery, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has collaborated with Seedstars to accept submissions for INFUSE 2024. This move comes as the need for climate actions takes front stage.
Innovation for Uptake, Scale, and Equity in Immunization, or INFUSE for short, is a Gavi-led project that links high-impact, tried-and-true technologies to the countries that most need them in order to scale up innovative global health solutions.
The necessity of addressing health issues made worse by climate change, such as increasing susceptibility to diseases like malaria and the possibility of more frequent and severe outbreaks owing to extreme weather, is highlighted by this year’s INFUSE campaign, according to a statement released on Monday.
Some of the projects that INFUSE has previously supported include Simprints, which is advancing biometrics in Bangladesh, Ghana, and Tanzania to guarantee that every child is registered in the health system and receives essential vaccines; Zenysis Technologies, which uses big data analytics to improve the accuracy of vaccine planning to help Pakistan and Mozambique reach under-immunised children; and Nexleaf Analytics and Parsyl, which are deploying cutting-edge sensor technology to prevent vaccine damage from excessive heat or cold.
Scientists have cautioned that in order to prevent the irreversible effects of climate change, global warming should be limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial temperatures, or about 200 years ago. Earth has already warmed by about 1.2 degrees.
The program’s latest batch seeks to identify and scale innovations that support resilient, low-carbon healthcare systems; improve front-line health workers’ ability to manage health threats related to climate change; and guarantee effective vaccine distribution in the face of extreme weather.
The Managing Director of Innovative Partnerships and Development Finance at Gavi, Mr. Augustin Flory, commented, “Vaccine-preventable diseases and immunization programs have significant implications for the climate crisis.” INFUSE is an excellent venue for mobilizing the most recent advancements to assist the medical community in advancing climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies.
Ms. Sheilla Atieno, Program Manager for Africa at Seedstars, emphasized the significance of this endeavor.
“Our collaboration with Gavi for INFUSE 2024 is crucial in our fight against the health impacts of climate change. We are calling on innovators globally to come forward with solutions that can make a tangible difference in building climate-resilient health systems,” she said.
The criteria for participation include scalability and potential impact in vulnerable regions, cost-effectiveness with a sustainable financial model, evidence of, or potential for success, adaptability for implementation in diverse environments, especially in low-income countries, and the strength and experience of the team behind the solution.
Innovators and startups across the globe, particularly from lower-income countries, are encouraged to apply for this opportunity. Selected innovations will be part of the INFUSE community, receiving focused support to scale their solutions globally.
