PC(USA) ministries call for US to fund vaccine support
Two new malaria vaccines at center of initiative
LOUISVILLE — The PC(USA) Africa Mission Networks and the Office of Public Witness (OPW), located in Washington, D.C., are collaborating to advocate for the U.S. government to support vaccination access for low-income countries through Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Specifically, there are two new malaria vaccinations that have been approved for use by the World Health Organization (WHO) that have proven successful after decades of research.
The OPW and the Africa Mission Networks urge Presbyterians to contact their senators and representatives to co-sponsor or support legislation to ensure funding for Gavi through House Resolution 1286 and Senate Resolution 684, and to ensure funding of the President’s Malaria Initiative in the appropriations process. Both affirm continued bipartisan congressional support for the purchase of vaccines in low-income countries as a cost-effective, efficient means to lower infant and maternal death. An OPW Action Alert, which provides a template for submitting a digital letter of support to your representative, was issued on Tuesday.
You can find the template and alert here.
In addition, churches can download a bulletin insert or display a PowerPoint slide, which provides program information and allows congregants to access the letter template via a QR code or website.
Statistics indicate that 95% of malaria-related deaths occur in Africa, and 80% of malaria deaths are suffered by children younger than 5 years old. According to its website, Gavi partners with organizations like WHO, UNICEF, the World Bank, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, donors, governments, NGOs, and research and technical health organizations, among others, to improve access to new and under-used vaccines for millions of vulnerable children. Since 2000, it has helped vaccinate more than 1 billion children in 78 lower-income countries.
Its business model emphasizes the importance of a country’s accountability to immunization by requiring eligible countries to fund a portion of their vaccination expenses and invest in childhood immunization. That model, to date, has resulted in nearly 20 countries fully funding their immunization programs.
“With malaria being a major health challenge, especially for children under 5, there is a strong demand for effective preventative measures. Vaccines provide an additional layer of protection, complementing existing tools like bed nets and antimalarial drugs,” said the Rev. Dr. Pascal Bataringaya, president of the Presbyterian Church of Rwanda. “By incorporating malaria vaccines into their health-care services, the church can offer a more comprehensive approach to malaria prevention and treatment, complementing existing measures like bed nets and antimalarial drugs.”
The Zambia Council of Churches issued the following statement:
“The vaccine could significantly reduce the malaria death rate, which is currently at four people per day in Zambia. Among these are individuals in our congregations, and the heavy burden of sickness on the congregants hampers productivity and places additional pressure on pastoral work.”
“The vaccines will be warmly welcomed by the population, given the damage that malaria causes in our households (loss of human life, abortions in pregnant women, school absenteeism, anemia, and poverty),” said Dr. Pacio Tshianza, from the Presbyterian Community of Congo.
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