Latest news with #GAVI
The Hill
06-08-2025
- Health
- The Hill
RFK made a massive mistake by ending global vaccine funding
Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has pulled the plug on funding for GAVI, the global vaccine alliance. Every government needs to choose how to spend its own taxpayer money, of course, and the U.S. is far from the only country cutting back on aid. But childhood immunization is actually one of the best ways to make the world stronger and more stable. Kennedy announced his decision in a confrontational video addressed to GAVI's Brussels summit in June, citing baseless claims about vaccine safety. Kennedy is wrong. Childhood vaccines have been a triumph for human welfare. A retrospective Lancet study last year found they have likely saved 154 million lives globally over the past 50 years, with 94 million saved from measles vaccinations alone. For most of humanity's time on this planet, nearly half of our children have not survived to adulthood. Just two centuries ago, infectious diseases accounted for nearly half of all deaths in rich nations like the U.S. and Britain. Vaccines first managed and later eradicated smallpox — a disease that killed between 300 and 500 million people in the 20th century alone. Vaccines ended the scourge of polio — which, even in 1950, killed or paralyzed over half a million people every year. And vaccines eliminated measles in the U.S. by the year 2000, when just a century before American children suffered hundreds of thousands of infections and nearly 10,000 deaths each year. By preventing killer diseases, vaccines have transformed lives in America. They have saved untold heartbreak, and reduced the strain on health systems, freeing resources to tackle chronic conditions such as heart disease and cancer. Naturally, we should all want children in the rest of the world to have the same chances of surviving against easily preventable diseases. Unfortunately, poor countries have extremely limited budgets, with less than $90 per person per year available for all public spending. Even a minimal baseline health care system would consume the entire budget, and governments also have to spend on education, infrastructure, social protection, defense, public order and debt service. Here, kindness from rich countries like America is crucial to preventing deaths and thereby fostering growth and stability. Before Kennedy's decision, the U.S. was paying 13 percent of GAVI's costs. Other significant funders include Norway, Germany and the Gates Foundation. Altogether, more than 40 sovereign and philanthropic donors are taking their share of the responsibility to help the world's poorest. The U.S. contribution of $400 million per year can help a lot, vaccinating 75 million additional children and preventing more than 1.2 million deaths in the next five years. Since 2000, the global health partnership has vaccinated 1 billion children across 78 countries, saving 19 million lives. GAVI's work has been pivotal in halving child mortality in supported regions since 2000 through vaccines like DTPw, which protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis. Between 2026 and 2030, GAVI aims to immunize at least 500 million more children, potentially preventing an additional 8 to 9 million deaths. This will not only save heartache for parents and families, but it will boost economic security. Illness and death from infectious disease can wreak economic devastation that families struggle to recover from. Research from my think tank, Copenhagen Consensus, quantifies the extraordinary value of vaccine investments. Maintaining current global spending will save 3.8 million lives annually from preventable diseases by 2030, delivering an almost unimaginable $286 in social benefits for every dollar spent. This is an incredible opportunity to help share the moral responsibility for humanity and do good in the world. But we should not stop there. Scaling up vaccination coverage, though costlier at $1.5 billion annually plus $200 million in indirect costs (like time spent by families accessing clinics), would save an additional 4.1 million lives yearly. This translates to $101 in social benefits per dollar spent, still an unparalleled return on investment. Kennedy bases his attack on GAVI on vaccine safety. This is unfounded scaremongering. There is more than a century of evidence of vaccine effectiveness, with billions of people vaccinated. Vaccines have been monitored for safety since their introduction in the U.S., with formal regulatory structures established in the early 20th century. The latest public U.S. study from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, of over 300 studies in 500 publications, found no evidence of major safety concerns connected to the childhood immunization schedule. While nothing is ever totally safe, and rare adverse effects are possible, such a tiny downside completely pales next to the upside of protecting the lives of almost 4 million children that the vaccines now save every year. Instead, Kennedy's attack contributes to vaccine hesitancy in rich countries, where vaccination rates were already dropping. This has real consequences — American measles cases are now at a 33-year high. It is easy to make parents scared, but giving them the full picture would highlight the enormous overall upside of well-tested childhood vaccines. Vaccines have become a new battleground of the culture wars. They shouldn't be. Yes, we should always be clear about safety, but we should also always keep in mind the much greater benefits. America has always been a generous country. It has been a beacon of common sense. Kennedy's approach is wrong. Reversing this decision would avoid squandering decades of U.S. soft power. Congress should undo this. The lives of millions of children worldwide hang in the balance. Best Things First.'
15-07-2025
- Health
More than 14M children globally have not received a dose of any vaccine: WHO
More than 14 million children around the world have not received a single dose of any vaccine, according to new data from the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF. This is 4 million more children than the 2024 target set by the WHO and 1.4 million more children than in 2019, which is the baseline year for measuring progress. About 25% of the world's infants live in 26 countries that are affected by conflict, fragility or humanitarian crises, but they make up half of all unvaccinated children, according to the global health agency. Children are unvaccinated or under-vaccinated for many reasons including lack of access, disrupted supply, conflict and instability, or misinformation about vaccines. "Stalling of vaccine coverage, even the smallest drops in immunization coverage as measured at the country level, can have devastating consequences," Dr. Kate O'Brien, director of the WHO's Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals, said during a press briefing on Monday. "It opens the door to deadly disease outbreaks and puts even more pressure on health systems that are already stretched. Immunization Agenda 2030 targets are in reach to protect more children [with] life-saving vaccines." Immunization Agenda 2030 is in reference to a series of goals put forth by the World Health Assembly to address challenges in improving access. However, there were some bright spots in the report. In 2024, 89% of infants globally, equivalent to about 115 million, received at least one dose of the diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP)-containing vaccine, and 85%, roughly 109 million, completed all three doses. By comparison, in 2023, about 171,000 more children received at least one vaccine and one million more children received the three doses. Protection against measles also improved, with 84% of children receiving the first dose and 76% receiving the second dose. While these are slight increases from the previous year, it means 30 million children are unprotected, especially as the world faces an increasing number of outbreaks. "The good news is that we have managed to reach more children with life-saving vaccines. But millions of children remain without protection against preventable diseases, and that should worry us all," Catherine Russell, executive director of UNICEF, said in a statement. "We must act now with determination to overcome barriers like shrinking health budgets, fragile health systems along with misinformation and access constraints because of conflicts. No child should die from a disease we know how to prevent," Russell said. The release of the data came just a few weeks after Health and Human Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the U.S. was pulling its funding from GAVI, an international organization that works to improve access to vaccines, claiming the organization "ignored the science." Kennedy claimed in a video posted online that the U.S. had provided $8 billion in funding to GAVI since 2001. Public health officials called on governments around the world to help fill the gaps in funding, although the U.S. withholding funds was not explicitly stated. "It is really, really important that maintaining these coverage trends, which are quite easily fragile unless efforts are sustained," Dr. Ephrem Lemango, associate director for health and global chief of immunization at UNICEF, said during Monday's press briefing. "It is important that we maintain our commitment to immunization, and we're calling on governments and partners and communities to do all that is necessary to maintain immunization coverage, including closing the funding gaps, serving communities in conflict and fragile settings, and addressing misinformation," Lemango said.
Zawya
14-07-2025
- Health
- Zawya
Strengthening Immunity, One Dose at a Time: Malawi's Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV2) Success Story
In the heart of Southern Africa, Malawi has taken a bold step in the fight against polio. After reporting its first case of Wild Poliovirus Type 1 (WPV1) after 30 years in 2022, the country responded with urgency and resolve. By May 2024, thanks to multiple vaccination campaigns, vigilant surveillance and strengthened immunization systems, Malawi was declared polio-free once again. But the journey didn't end there. With the looming threat of circulating Vaccine-Derived Poliovirus Type 2 (cVDPV2) from neighboring countries, Malawi recognized the need to boost its population's immunity. Backed by GAVI, The Vaccine Alliance funding and guided by the Malawi Immunization Technical Advisory Group (MAITAG), the Ministry of Health introduced the second dose of the Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV2) into the national immunization schedule in December 2024. This milestone was more than a policy shift—it was a nationwide movement: Over 187,348 eligible children better protected from Polio following vaccination with 2nd Dose of IPV as of April 2025 17,000 health workers were trained across all districts. IPV2 was rolled out in every health facility, including outreach posts in remote areas. Community engagement efforts flourished, with local leaders and health workers leading sensitization campaigns. Data management tools and systems were updated to incorporate the new vaccine In Karonga District, which borders Tanzania and faces high cross-border transmission risk, the rollout was seamless. Health workers reported no challenges, and community members welcomed the new dose with open arms. Mr. Kayuni, an area supervisor with over 20 years of experience in immunization programming within the district, discussed the introduction of IPV2, which aims to enhance protection against the type 2 poliovirus. He noted that due to the anticipated benefits of IPV2, efforts had been increased in community awareness regarding the new dose to reduce vaccine hesitancy for improved coverage. At the Mlongoti outreach post, a structure built by the community demonstrates their support for the health system and immunization program. Suzgika Gondwe, a local mother, expressed her understanding that this dose reduces the risk of polio for her child. Another caregiver, Gift Ngofi, mentioned that she believed in the benefits of the additional dose because the information came from their community health workers. Temwa Kaula supported her community members' opinions, noting no expected harm beyond typical vaccine side effects from the new dose. All three caregivers discussed the overall importance of vaccines, observing fewer illness episodes for their children, decreased hospital visits, and increased time for income-generating activities. This success story is not just about a new vaccine—it's about resilience, trust, and community-driven health progress. With continued support and vigilance, Malawi is not only protecting its children today but also securing a polio-free future for generations to come. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) - Malawi.
Zawya
13-07-2025
- Health
- Zawya
Vaccination against cholera brings hope to more than 2 million Angolans
A new round of the oral vaccination campaign against cholera was officially launched this Saturday in the municipality of Cafunfo, Lunda Norte province, an initiative of the Angolan government, through the Ministry of Health, with the support of GAVI - Global Alliance for Vaccines, the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, the European Union and other partners in the health sector. The campaign plans to vaccinate more than 2 million people in the most affected municipalities in the provinces of Cabinda, Kwanza Sul, Huíla, Lunda Norte, Namibe and Zaire - regions where there is currently active transmission of the disease. The campaign started simultaneously in all the provinces covered, with teams on the ground starting vaccination activities at fixed posts and through door-to-door visits. At the launch, the Minister of Health, Dr. Sílvia Lutucuta, called on everyone to get involved: 'Everyone has to take part in this war against cholera, we're almost there, there's just a little bit left and if we all work together we'll be able to get rid of cholera in Angola.' The minister also highlighted the strengthening of the response capacity thanks to the support of partners: "Through our partners, we managed to get around 1 million vaccines in the first and second rounds. Now we've got 2 million vaccines that will allow us to increase coverage and protect even more people." The vaccine used in this round is Euvichol-S, an oral, single-dose vaccine donated by Gavi and distributed via the international mechanism coordinated by the International Coordination Group (ICG). The campaign involves 942 vaccination teams, made up of vaccinators, mobilizers and supervisors, who will work at fixed posts and also through door-to-door visits. All people aged one year and over will be vaccinated, as part of an integrated response that includes epidemiological surveillance, access to drinking water, sanitation, risk communication and case management. During the ceremony, the WHO Representative in Angola, Dr. Indrajit Hazarika, highlighted the role of the vaccine in protecting communities, but recalled that it must be complemented by other structural measures: "The oral vaccine is a strong tool in our hands, in each campaign we stop the transmission of cholera by reinforcing the vital shield of protection for communities. But the vaccine alone is not enough, we must remain vigilant. The fight against cholera is also about sustainable investment in water, sanitation and hygiene. Only in this way will we cut cholera in the long term." In the beneficiary neighborhoods, the mood is hopeful. After months of fear and uncertainty, the arrival of the vaccine represents a concrete response and essential protection, especially for the most vulnerable families. Verónica Domingos Ferreira, who lives in the municipality of Kikombo, Kwanza Sul, was one of the people vaccinated. After seeing her neighbors fall ill months ago, she decided to seek information and protect her family. Today, she is relieved: "I'm very grateful. Today I got vaccinated and I vaccinated my children. This vaccine is a blessing. Now I feel that my family is better protected." With actions like this, Angola is strengthening its capacity to respond to outbreaks and reaffirming its commitment to the health and dignity of its communities. The campaign will continue in the coming days, with calls for the active participation of the entire population. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) - Angola.
Euronews
07-07-2025
- Health
- Euronews
'Donor fatigue' demands smarter global aid spending, says Barroso
The growing phenomenon of "donor fatigue" is raising alarms across the global health and development sectors, as longstanding financial donors, particularly in the United States under the Trump administration, scale back their commitments. In an interview with Euronews, José Manuel Barroso, Chair of the Board of the Vaccine Alliance GAVI and former President of the European Commission, acknowledged the mounting concerns over the future of international aid. "There is some concern in the development community about continued support for development in general, and particularly in public health," Barroso said. "That said, I believe we will overcome these challenges." Barroso emphasised the need for a more results-oriented and efficient approach to aid delivery. He acknowledged that inefficiencies persist within both donor and recipient countries and called for smarter allocation of resources. "If we're being honest, we have to recognise that aid is not always delivered in the best way," he said. "This is the right moment to focus on what can be gained through greater efficiency." He cited GAVI, a global organisation that supplies vaccines to millions of children in low-income countries and its ongoing reform efforts as an example of how the aid sector can adapt. These reforms aim to eliminate redundancies, avoid overlap and improve outcomes. "As a public-private partnership, we strive to avoid bureaucracy and bring the dynamism of the private sector to maximise efficiency," Barroso said. US policy shift Adding to the uncertainty is a shift in US policy. In January, the Trump administration ordered a sweeping review of nearly all American aid programs, which raised questions about the country's long-term commitment. Historically, the United States has been a cornerstone of global health efforts, providing both financial support and on-the-ground expertise. "The United States has been a great supporter of international development," Barroso noted. "We hope that commitment continues, not only from the US, but also from all traditional donors, including G7 countries." However, Washington recently announced plans to halt funding for GAVI, following criticism from top US health official Robert F. Kennedy Jr, who claimed the group had "ignored the science" on safety issues. Despite this, Barroso struck an optimistic note on GAVI's relationship with the US. "We are working constructively with this administration," he told Euronews. Rise of new donors As traditional donors retreat, attention is turning to emerging contributors such as Brazil, India and private sector partners to help fill the gap. Barroso welcomed the involvement of these new players. "If there is a gap, it will be filled by non-traditional donors and increased private sector engagement," he said. Europe, too, is grappling with funding constraints. Rising defence spending, driven by evolving geopolitical threats, is now competing with development budgets for scarce public resources. The EU's Readiness 2030 plan, which envisions up to €800 billion in defence spending by 2029, risks further marginalising health and aid priorities.
