Philanthropist Bill Gates reaffirmed his long-term commitment to global health equity, announcing plans to donate nearly all of his personal wealth within the next two decades. As part of this pledge, Gates stated that the world’s poorest communities would benefit from an estimated $200 billion through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He spoke with Reuters in New York City on May 8, 2025.
In line with this commitment, the Gates Foundation announced on Tuesday that it will contribute $1.6 billion over the next five years to support Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance—a public-private partnership focused on improving vaccine access for children in low-income countries.
Bill Gates, chair of the foundation, warned that the number of child deaths worldwide is likely to rise this year due to significant reductions in foreign aid. “Funding Gavi is the single most impactful action we can take to prevent this,” Gates said in a statement.
Gavi is currently aiming to raise $9 billion to fund its programs from 2026 to 2030. A pledging conference to support this effort is scheduled for Wednesday in Brussels, co-hosted by the European Union and the Gates Foundation.
The alliance collaborates with governments to finance vaccines that protect against life-threatening diseases such as measles and diphtheria.
Gavi CEO Dr. Sania Nishtar highlighted the stakes of reduced funding, noting that the loss of U.S. contributions—previously about $300 million annually—could result in as many as 1.2 million additional child deaths over the next five years.
The foundation's latest pledge reinforces its role as a leading advocate for global immunization and underscores the urgent need for sustained investment in vaccine access, especially in the face of mounting global health challenges.