All-Party Parliamentary Group for Pneumococcal Disease in the Developing World

Objectives

Ruder Finn, with support from PneumoADIP, was tasked with raising the political profile and awareness of the impact of pneumococcal disease in the developing world.

As part of this strategy, Ruder Finn helped Parliamentarians to set up an All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) to act as a political voice in support of the fight against pneumococcal disease in the developing world. The Group also specifically investigated the potential impact of the Pneumococcal Advanced Market Commitment (AMC), which aims to speed the availability of access to pneumococcal vaccines for the developing world.

Ruder Finn used its significant public affairs experience to work with MPs and Peers from the Group, which is comprised of representatives from the three main British political parties, one independent MP and one Lord from the Crossbenches.

Currently, the APPG has more members with a medical or scientific background than any other British All-Party Parliamentary Group. The Group’s activities have included the following:

• Constant contact with key individuals from the Department for International Development (DFID), HM Treasury as well as civil society, academia, organisations and industry in Britain and internationally
• High impact parliamentary activities
• Engagement with British and foreign Heads of State and Government
• Interaction with influential multilaterals
• Coordinating awareness initiatives from within the British Parliament for Parliamentarians and their international colleagues

Results

To date, the APPG’s activities have played a significant part in influencing the policies of developing world governments, many of which have reprioritised pneumococcal disease in their health systems as a result