The UK Government won The Innovation Award at the UK Civil Service Awards 2012 in recognition of the work that GALVmed does in addressing global animal health problems. The honour recognises an innovative approach by the civil service, which successfully addressed an issue or challenge.
The UK Government won this award for the work GALVmed does with the UK Government support, to protect livestock and save human lives and livelihoods, by making livestock vaccines, diagnostics and medicines accessible and affordable to the millions in developing countries for whom livestock is a lifeline. Healthier livestock can provide a pathway out of poverty and enhance food security. Livestock is a considerable, but often overlooked, economic driver in the developing world.
GALVmed was established after the UK Government carried out a series of technical analyses and consultations with the private sector and farmers to develop a solution to treat and prevent some of the key animal diseases. In 2005, the UK Government created GALVmed, a not-for-profit organisation with strong independent governance to deliver animal drugs and vaccines in Africa and Asia. From 2008, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation joined and worked closely to support the work of GALVmed.
GALVmed has since sustainably supported the accessibility to poor farmers of drugs and vaccines for Newcastle disease, East Coast fever and other diseases. Protecting animals’ lives improves food security and the health of livestock keepers and their families.
Responding to the announcement of the award, GALVmed’s Interim CEO, Professor Andy Peters commented:
“We offer our congratulations to the UK Government on winning this prestigious Civil Service award for Innovation and are proud that GALVmed and all of our alliance partners are connected to it. Together we are protecting livestock and improving the lives of some of the 900 million people who rely on livestock for livelihood by making livestock vaccines, medicines and diagnostics available and accessible to some of the world’s poorest people. The UK Government have continued to show great confidence in GALVmed to translate an idea into developing appropriate, innovative approaches towards ensuring sustainable research, production and delivery. I am delighted that the UK Government’s support for GALVmed has received this validation and I would like to thank the UK Government and my own hardworking staff and implementing partners”.