22-07-2025
- Health
- Wall Street Journal
U.S. Global Health Aid Is an Exemplar of Efficiency
It's good that in the end Senate Republicans saved some global health aid. As Bill Gates highlights in his op-ed, 'U.S. Aid for Global Health Is Saving Lives' (July 15), American health aid is remarkably efficient. My organization, the Copenhagen Consensus, has for decades worked with hundreds of the world's top economists and many Nobel laureates to identify the most cost-effective solutions to global challenges. Several American global health initiatives deliver amazing benefits for every dollar spent.
Consider Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Our research shows that the childhood vaccinations Gavi funds currently save nearly four million lives a year. Each dollar spent delivers an astounding $286 in policy benefits. Other countries and philanthropists help achieve this, but the 13% of Gavi's budget that the U.S. contributed last year matters. That $400 million in American outlays alone will help protect 75 million additional children and prevent over 1.2 million deaths in the next five years.
