US decision to end support for Gavi puts millions of children's lives at risk

Geneva [Switzerland], March 28 (ANI/WAM): The head of leading vaccines group Gavi alliance said Thursday that a cut to Gavi's funding would be "disastrous," potentially resulting in more than 1 million deaths from preventable diseases.

"We have not received a termination notice from the U.S. government," said Sania Nishtar, Gavi's Chief Executive. In a statement on Thursday, Nishtar said Gavi was "engaging with the White House and Congress," hoping to secure the USD 300 million approved by Congress for their activities this year, as well as longer-term funding.

It's estimated that more than 1.2 million children may die as a result of this political decision The reported decision that the US government will end its support for Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance--which was set up 20 years ago to increase access to vaccines for the world's poorest countries--will have devastating consequences for children across the globe, said Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF).

While there is still space for progress, routine vaccination coverage for children has improved since Gavi was established in 2000, estimated to have saved the lives of 17 million children over the last 25 years. However, as reported by the New York Times today, and per Gavi's own estimates, the loss of US support to Gavi is projected to deny approximately 75 million children routine vaccinations in the next five years, with more than 1.2 million children may die as a result. (ANI/WAM)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)