By Doris Obinna
Save the Children has announced a fresh call for innovation partners as part of its Immunisation Accelerator, aimed at increasing vaccination rates among children in Nigeria and Ethiopia.
The initiative, backed by a $1 million grant from global healthcare company GSK, is focused on supporting bold, locally driven solutions to address persistent barriers that prevent children from accessing life-saving vaccines.
Now in its second round, the programme is open to a wide range of applicants, including community-based organisations, national and local NGOs, research teams, social enterprises, and tech companies operating in Nigeria and Ethiopia.
Selected applicants will receive up to $100,000 in funding per project, along with tailored technical support to help bring their innovations to life.
The initiative targets “zero dose” children, those who have never received a single routine vaccination.
These children are especially vulnerable to preventable diseases such as measles, cholera, and polio. Current estimates suggest that Nigeria has approximately 2.1 million zero-dose children, while Ethiopia is home to nearly one million.
As part of the programme, successful applicants will also have the opportunity to pilot their innovations within existing vaccination efforts run by Save the Children in collaboration with GSK.
These pilot projects aim to improve both the supply and demand sides of immunisation by addressing logistical hurdles, raising awareness, and leveraging new technologies.
The Lead of the Save the Children Immunisation Accelerator, Ermias Teshome, emphasised the urgent need for inventive strategies in light of mounting global challenges.
“As conflicts, climate change, and other global challenges increasingly disrupt vaccination efforts, it’s clear that we need bold, new approaches to protect every child’s right to health.”
“Local innovation plays a critical role in overcoming both supply and demand barriers to immunisation. Through the Immunisation Accelerator, we are seeking scalable, context-driven solutions. We look forward to receiving fresh applications and ambitious thinking that push the boundaries of what innovation can achieve.”
Chief Global Health Officer, GSK, Thomas Breuer, echoed this sentiment, underscoring the importance of locally led efforts. “We are proud to support Save the Children’s leadership in driving innovative, locally led solutions to improve childhood vaccination rates in Ethiopia and Nigeria.”
“The local knowledge and capabilities generated from Save the Children’s Immunisation Accelerator, funded through a grant from GSK, are already yielding promising approaches with the potential to help transform health outcomes for children not only in these regions, but globally. It’s inspiring to see how this initiative is shaping a healthier future, helping us get ahead of disease together,” Breuer added.
Among the first round of grantees is Ethiopia-based HABTech Solutions PLC, awarded nearly $100,000 for a digital solution that uses data analytics and visualisation tools to improve immunisation decision-making and tackle the challenges surrounding zero-dose children.
The second round of applications is now open, offering a new wave of innovators the chance to join this growing effort to ensure that no child is left behind when it comes to essential vaccines.