Vaccines for all – high-level meeting with Minister Benjamin Dousa
On 1 October, researchers, decision-makers and representatives from industry and international organisations gathered at KI for the high-level meeting Vaccines for All: Health. Security. Growth. Benjamin Dousa, Sweden's Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, participated in the important meeting, organised by Karolinska Institutet and the Stockholm School of Economics in collabotation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
KI President Annika Östman Wernerson and Stockholm School of Economics President Lars Strannegård opened the meeting by emphasising the role of vaccines as a cornerstone of sustainable development and global equality. She highlighted the vaccine alliance Gavi as a crucial global player, which through collaboration between public and private partners, has enabled the vaccination of over a billion children in low-income countries – thereby preventing millions of deaths.
"Vaccines are not just a medical intervention, they are key to human well-being and community building," said Annika Östman Wernerson, emphasising the importance of scientific research and international cooperation.
The keynote speaker was Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, who spoke about the role of vaccines in global security and growth. She was followed by researchers who presented their latest findings.
Birgitta Henriques Normark, professor at KI, spoke about the development of a new generation of pneumococcal vaccines. Anna Norrby Teglund, professor at KI, presented research on a vaccine against streptococcus A. Martina Björkman Nyqvist, professor at the Stockholm School of Economics, highlighted how markets and distribution affect access to vaccines.
The panel discussion brought together Karin Tegmark Wisell, Sweden's ambassador for Global Health, Malin Parkler from Pfizer Sweden, Diane Gashumba, Rwanda's ambassador to the Nordic countries, and Gunilla Carlsson from Sida, among others. The discussion focused on how vaccines can contribute to health, security and growth – and how Sweden can take an active role in this work.
The moderators at the high-level meeting, Tobias Alfvén, professor at Karolinska Institutet, and Karl Wennberg, professor at the Stockholm School of Economics, also collaborate within the framework of The Health Diplomacy Initiative.