International Vaccine Agency Yet to Receive Word from US about Cut in Funding

(3 Minutes Read)

The Geneva-based group has helped immunise more than half the world’s children against infectious diseases. It warns that one million young people could die if Washington cuts its funding.

The international vaccine alliance, Gavi, says it has not received word from the United States that it plans to cut more than US$1 billion in funding pledged to the organisation. The comment comes after the New York Times reported that Donald Trump’s administration intends to end its grant. Dr Sania Nishtar, the CEO of the alliance which buys critical vaccines for developing countries, says it has not received a “termination notice from anyone in the US administration”.

The Geneva-based group has helped immunise more than half the world’s children against infectious diseases. It warns that one million young people could die if Washington cuts its funding.

Nishtar says Gavi is planning to engage with the US to outline the importance of continuing support and “to explain to them in the most respectful way what the consequences of this cut would be. Nishar adds that because the US underwrites 15 per cent of its budget, this would translate into 75 million children not getting vaccinated.

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Gavi was founded in 2000 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the World Bank.