New alliance to disrupt barriers to vaccination using AI-powered biometrics from birth

During the recent Gavi Replenishment Summit, Gavi, Simprints, CIFF, and Arm announced a new alliance to disrupt barriers to vaccination and save lives through AI-driven biometrics.

The challenge

Globally, nearly 1 in 4 children born have no formal record of their existence. This makes tracing vaccines to unique children challenging, both for health workers delivering immunisations and health officials using data to close coverage gaps. 

Strengthening health systems in Ghana

Gavi and Simprints have previously demonstrated that biometrics can securely improve access to healthcare and immunisations. In a groundbreaking project with Ghana Health Services, our biometrics are being used successfully to ensure that the life-saving four-dose malaria vaccine reaches vulnerable children across Ghana. The existing deployment, however, relies on dedicated fingerprint scanners and is only effective from nine months of age.

“Innovations like Simprints’ biometrics help ensure every child is counted and protected, while giving health workers the tools to reach zero-dose children”, said Dr Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. “Our partnership shows how local innovation can close immunisation gaps, strengthen health systems, and deliver impact that lasts”.

Biometrics from birth

• This new multi-million dollar initiative will challenge current limitations by developing and scaling, for the first time, AI biometric models that work from birth using smartphone cameras.
• The alliance will bring together Gavi’s global leadership on immunisation with Arm’s AI machine learning capabilities, CIFF’s experience accelerating cost-effective health interventions, and Simprints’ frontline biometric expertise. 
• Together, the alliance aims to ensure that the right vaccine reaches the right individual at the right time, eliminating drop-outs from routine immunisation schedules and protecting more children.

A child has his face scanned with the Simprints ID app to locate his medical record. Photo credit: Nipah Dennis/Gavi

Florentin Albu, Director of Tech for Impact, CIFF, commented on the partnership: “Accurate identification from birth is a game-changer not only for immunisation, but also for child nutrition and health. By enabling reliable, low-cost identification in the earliest days of life, this partnership opens the door to integrating vaccination records with growth and nutrition monitoring, ensuring children get the full package of care they need to survive and thrive. CIFF is excited to work with Gavi, Arm, and Simprints to unlock this potential.”

Beyond technology

This groundbreaking alliance represents a pivotal step forward in global health. By harnessing the power of AI-driven biometrics, we are not just tracking vaccinations; we are building a future where every child, no matter where they are born, has the chance to thrive, protected by the life-saving power of immunisation. This is more than technology; it’s a commitment to a healthier, more equitable world for all.

Learn more

• Watch a short film about our work with GHS in Ghana
• Learn more about our partnership with Gavi, the vaccine alliance
• Delve into our evidence base