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The Gates Foundation announced on Tuesday a significant commitment of $1.6 billion over the next five years to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Gavi is a public-private partnership dedicated to procuring vaccines for children in the world's most impoverished regions.
Bill Gates, chair of the foundation, emphasized the urgency of this funding. He stated that global child mortality rates are likely to increase this year due to substantial cuts in foreign aid, making Gavi's work crucial to preventing further deaths.
Gavi is currently aiming to secure $9 billion in funding for its operations from 2026 to 2030. A pledging event, co-hosted by the European Union and the Gates Foundation, is scheduled for Wednesday in Brussels to achieve this goal. The alliance plays a vital role in collaborating with governments to fund the purchase of vaccines that protect against deadly diseases such as measles and diphtheria.
This renewed commitment from the Gates Foundation comes amid concerns about potential funding shortfalls. The Trump administration has previously indicated plans to cut its annual contribution to Gavi, which currently stands at approximately $300 million. Sania Nishtar, Gavi's CEO, warned that a loss of U.S. funding could result in an additional 1.2 million deaths over the next five years.
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