Exclusive: US Health Secretary Kennedy to address Gavi vaccine event amid funding pullback
LONDON, June 23 (Reuters) - U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, a long-time vaccine skeptic, is set to speak this week at a fundraising event for Gavi, a public-private partnership which helps buy vaccines for the world's poorest children, according to three sources familiar with the matter.
President Donald Trump asked Kennedy to represent the United States at the conference in Brussels on Wednesday, where Gavi will secure funding for its operations for the next five years, one of the sources told Reuters. The Trump administration has previously indicated that it planned to cut its funding for Gavi, representing around $300 million annually.
The source said it was unlikely that Kennedy would commit any new U.S. funding contribution and would most likely discuss "the restructuring of foreign assistance."
Trump has cut foreign aid programmes by around 80% since taking office at the beginning of this year, as part of his "America First" policy agenda.
Kennedy, who spent decades as a public figure sowing doubt over the safety and efficacy of vaccines before becoming the top U.S. health official, is set to appear via video, another of the sources said.
Gavi is aiming to raise $9 billion for its work from 2026-2030 at the summit, amid a pullback by governments - including the group's largest sovereign donor, the United Kingdom – which also plan to cut aid budgets. The event is co-hosted by the European Union and the Gates Foundation, both of which did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Gavi works alongside governments to fund the purchase of vaccines to prevent deadly diseases, from measles to diphtheria. Earlier this year, its chief executive said losing U.S. funding could lead to around 1.2 million additional deaths over the next five years.
The group declined to comment on whether any U.S. officials would attend the summit this week. The U.S. Department for Health and Human Services was not immediately available for comment.
Kennedy has been changing U.S. domestic vaccine policy since his appointment earlier this year. He recently fired all the members of a US vaccine advisory panel, and replaced them with members of his own choosing, including several who share anti-vaccine sentiments.
Kennedy appeared at a World Health Organization meeting in May via video, where he called the organization "moribund" and urged others to follow the U.S. lead and quit, as Trump announced on the first day of his presidency. Trump's announcement had set a 12-month notice period for exiting the WHO; the U.S. is the WHO's biggest financial backer.
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