GAVI Donors Pledge $7.5 Billion to Help Immunize 300 Million Children

The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) announced that countries and private donors have pledged $7.5 billion (6.6 billion euros) to help immunize 300 million more children, saving up to six million lives, in developing countries over the next five years. GAVI announced that it had just slightly exceeded its 'bold' request for funding for 2016 to 2020 at a two-day pledging conference in Berlin. GAVI board chairman Dagfinn Hoybraten said, "We have never had a replenishment this size before in GAVI's history. It's record breaking. It was a very bold ask we presented to the world leaders but also a very compelling case. Some current GAVI donors had increased their support substantially and that four countries, including China, previously a GAVI funding recipient, had become new donors."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said, "There had been much improvement thanks to the work of GAVI but that challenges remained, highlighting that the Ebola epidemic in Africa had revealed the weakness in some countries' health systems. Public health would be a priority for Germany's G7 presidency this year."

Source-Medindia