He warned that the cuts could lead to a reversal in progress, with more children dying from preventable diseases. Gates noted that 2025 could be the first year since the 1990s when child mortality rates increase, instead of continuing to decline.
He stated, “All the progress we've made is at risk,” referencing the vital role Gavi plays in providing affordable vaccines to low-income countries.
Gates also highlighted how the funding cuts could undermine efforts to eradicate diseases like polio and malaria, emphasizing that “the life could have been saved by a vaccine that costs just 30 cents.”
Why It’s Important: On Tuesday, the Gates Foundation announced a pledge of $1.6 billion over the next five years to Gavi.
Earlier this month, Gates, who chairs the Gates Foundation, committed to channeling the majority of its planned $200 billion investment over the next two decades into Africa.
The Trump administration had earlier signaled its intention to reduce its annual contribution of approximately $300 million to Gavi.
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