- New UK support to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance to protect up to
75 million children against deadly diseases like measles, polio
and typhoid
- By vaccinating millions of children against other deadly
diseases, we are supporting the world’s poorest countries so they
can cope with rising coronavirus cases
- Gavi has so far helped vaccinate more than 760 million
children, preventing more than 13 million deaths
The UK today confirmed that it will be the largest supporter of
the international alliance to vaccinate children against deadly
diseases, saving millions of lives.
Speaking to MPs, International Development Secretary announced a funding
pledge equivalent of £330 million a year over the next five years
to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which will help fund immunisation
of 75 million children in the world’s poorest countries.
Preventable diseases, like measles, polio and typhoid, still kill
hundreds of thousands of people each year. By vaccinating
millions of children against other deadly diseases, we are
supporting healthcare systems in the world’s poorest countries so
they can cope with rising coronavirus cases. Health experts have
warned that if coronavirus is left to spread in developing
countries, this could lead to the virus re-emerging in the UK
later in the year and put further pressure on our NHS.
International Development Secretary said:
“The coronavirus pandemic shows us now more than ever the vital
role vaccines play in protecting us all. By supporting Gavi, the
Vaccine Alliance, we are helping stop the spread of infectious
diseases, saving millions of lives and keeping Britain safe.
“As coronavirus vaccine trials begin, we need to make sure any
successful vaccine will be available to everyone. Gavi will be
integral to achieving this, so we can protect the UK and the NHS
from future waves of infection.”
The UK has been a longstanding donor to Gavi since its formation
in 2000. With the support of over 25 other countries such as
Norway, Italy and the United States, the Vaccine Alliance has
since immunised over 760 million children, saving more than 13
million lives.
Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
said:
“When the world beats the COVID-19 pandemic and life returns to
normal, Gavi – and the UK’s support of it – will be a major
reason why. Gavi has spent the last 20 years delivering vaccines
to the world’s poorest countries. They’ve been incredibly
effective, and with this new funding, they’ll be able to continue
their work when a COVID vaccine is ready. Today, the UK is being
generous and thinking global, which also happens to be the best
way to fight disease.”
Today’s announcement comes as the UK recently announced that the
Global Vaccine Summit on 4 June will go ahead as a virtual
summit, hosted by Prime Minister . It will bring countries
together, to follow the UK’s lead, in stepping up and funding
Gavi’s work to save millions of lives and help prevent and
address future pandemics.
The UK is leading international efforts to find a coronavirus
vaccine, as the largest donor to the Coalition for Epidemic
Preparedness Innovations (CEPI)’s coronavirus appeal. Thanks to
this investment, future coronavirus vaccines will be made
available at the lowest possible price to the NHS.
Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Chair of the Gavi Board said:
“Gavi’s work has never been more important. Right now it is
playing a vital role both keeping immunisation programmes going
across the world, reducing the chances of there being further
global disease outbreaks, as well as helping developing countries
respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As long as there are still pockets of this disease somewhere,
everywhere is at risk. This pledge will make a huge difference to
these efforts and I’d like to thank the UK, as Gavi’s biggest
donor since its inception, for their leadership over the past two
decades.”
Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi said:
“I’d like to thank the UK public for this pledge: an investment
in Gavi is an investment in a safer, healthier world. This
funding will not only protect hundreds of millions of children
against disease, it will also help health systems to repair and
rebuild after the enormous impact of COVID-19 has subsided.
This is our best shield against future pandemics which, as we
have seen all too clearly in recent months, do not respect
borders. Finally, it means we can continue our work leading
international efforts to ensure universal access to a COVID-19
vaccine, as well as to maintain the infrastructure needed to
deploy it at scale around the world, which offers our best means
of ending this crisis.”
