Ensuring access to life-saving vaccines is a global priority, especially for countries facing significant healthcare and economic challenges. The Vaccine Fund was established to bridge gaps in immunization coverage by providing critical support to nations most in need.
By focusing on countries with limited resources, the fund helps expand routine vaccinations, strengthen health systems, and ultimately reduce preventable diseases among vulnerable populations.
In this guide, you’ll find the official list of countries eligible for Vaccine Fund support, along with context on how and why these nations are prioritized. This list helps maintain transparency and ensures resources are directed toward communities where they can make the greatest impact.
What Is the Vaccine Fund?
The Vaccine Fund is a dedicated global initiative aimed at improving immunization access in low- and middle-income countries. It works alongside international partners to provide funding, vaccines, and logistical support to nations that struggle with healthcare infrastructure and vaccination coverage gaps. By focusing on countries with the highest need, the Vaccine Fund plays a crucial role in reducing child mortality and controlling vaccine-preventable diseases.
Rather than operating as a direct healthcare provider, the Vaccine Fund acts as a financial and strategic backbone for government-led immunization programs. This collaborative approach ensures each country’s vaccination efforts are strengthened through additional resources, training, and essential supplies such as cold chain equipment and monitoring systems.
Why Country Eligibility Matters
Determining which countries receive support from the Vaccine Fund ensures that assistance reaches the populations with the greatest healthcare needs. Not every country faces the same challenges when it comes to immunization coverage, disease risk, or healthcare infrastructure. By establishing eligibility criteria, the Vaccine Fund prioritizes resources where they can deliver the most meaningful public health impact.
Countries become eligible based on specific factors such as national income level, immunization rates, and overall health system capacity. This approach helps maintain fairness and accountability while aligning support with global health goals like reducing child mortality and controlling infectious diseases.
Eligibility reviews happen periodically to reflect changing circumstances and updated data from global health monitoring agencies.
Full List of Eligible Countries (2025)
The following countries are officially recognized as eligible for Vaccine Fund support as of 2025. These nations have been identified based on healthcare needs, economic status, and immunization coverage gaps.
Africa
- Angola
- Benin
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Comoros
- Congo
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Djibouti
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Kenya
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Rwanda
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Africa
- Sudan
- Swaziland
- Tanzania
- Togo
- Uganda
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Asia
- Afghanistan
- Bangladesh
- Bhutan
- Cambodia
- India
- Indonesia
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Maldives
- Mongolia
- Myanmar
- Nepal
- North Korea
- Pakistan
- Papua New Guinea
- Philippines
- Sri Lanka
- Tajikistan
- Timor-Leste
- Uzbekistan
- Vietnam
- Yemen
Europe
- Albania
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Georgia
- Moldova
- Ukraine
Americas
- Bolivia
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Nicaragua
Pacific Islands
- Papua New Guinea
- Solomon Islands
Note: Some countries may appear under multiple regions due to geographic or political considerations.
How the Eligibility List Is Determined
The Vaccine Fund’s eligibility list is based on specific, transparent criteria designed to prioritize countries with the greatest healthcare and immunization needs. This ensures support is allocated fairly and effectively, focusing on communities where it can make the biggest impact.
Gross National Income (GNI) Per Capita
Eligibility focuses on countries classified as low- and lower-middle-income according to international economic indicators. This ensures financial assistance reaches nations with limited public health funding capacity.
Routine Immunization Coverage
Countries with lower vaccination rates against diseases like measles, polio, and hepatitis B are prioritized. This helps close dangerous gaps in protection, especially for vulnerable children under the age of five.
Child Mortality Rates
Higher under-five mortality rates signal serious public health challenges tied to vaccine-preventable diseases. Countries facing these issues are included to help reduce preventable child deaths through expanded immunization.
Healthcare System Capacity
Limited infrastructure such as cold chain equipment, trained personnel, and reliable delivery systems are key considerations. Support helps strengthen these weak points so vaccines can reach remote and underserved communities.
Periodic reviews ensure the list stays up to date, adapting to changes in global health data and country development status.
How Countries Benefit from the Vaccine Fund
Being listed as an eligible country isn’t just about recognition, it opens the door to real, measurable support that strengthens national immunization efforts. The Vaccine Fund provides both financial resources and technical assistance, helping countries overcome barriers to routine vaccination and public health service delivery.
Eligible countries receive help in several key areas:
- Vaccine Procurement: Funding ensures a stable supply of essential vaccines at scale, reducing stockouts and service disruptions.
- Cold Chain Equipment: Support includes refrigerators, transport containers, and temperature-monitoring tools necessary to keep vaccines effective.
- Training and Capacity Building: Healthcare workers receive training in vaccine handling, record-keeping, and patient education to maintain safe and efficient immunization programs.
- Monitoring and Evaluation Tools: Countries gain access to systems that track vaccination coverage, identify service gaps, and guide program improvements.
This support directly contributes to higher immunization rates, reduced disease outbreaks, and stronger healthcare systems overall.
Keeping Global Immunization Efforts Moving Forward
Maintaining and updating the list of countries eligible for Vaccine Fund support is a key part of ensuring that lifesaving vaccines reach the children and families who need them most. By focusing on clear criteria like national income levels, immunization coverage, and healthcare capacity, the Vaccine Fund helps direct resources where they’ll have the biggest health impact.
As global health priorities shift and countries develop, eligibility status may change — but the core mission stays the same: expanding access to vaccines and strengthening public health systems around the world. For the latest updates or to explore partnership opportunities, always refer to official Vaccine Fund communications or contact their program office directly.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How often is the eligibility list updated?
The Vaccine Fund reviews and updates its eligibility list periodically to reflect changes in national economic status, immunization coverage, and healthcare capacity. Updates typically align with global health reports and development data releases.
Can countries lose eligibility?
Yes, countries may lose eligibility if they experience sustained economic growth, improve healthcare infrastructure, or achieve high immunization coverage. This allows resources to be redirected to nations still facing critical challenges.
How can a country apply for support?
Eligible countries are usually identified proactively by the Vaccine Fund, but governments can engage directly through formal application processes. This involves submitting national immunization plans and participating in assessment reviews to align with fund requirements.
What types of vaccines are provided through the fund?
The Vaccine Fund supports a range of essential childhood vaccines including those for measles, polio, hepatitis B, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, and newer introductions like pneumococcal and rotavirus vaccines, depending on country