Kevin Watkins, Chief Executive of Save the Children, said:
Today’s announcement that the UK will commit £330 million per year over the next 5 years to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance is hugely welcome. The current COVID-19 pandemic is a stark reminder of the importance of vaccines, and today’s pledge will ensure 75 million children are immunised by 2025, helping to save 8 million lives. It is a critical first step in delivering the Government’s pledge to help end preventable maternal, new-born and child deaths by 2030. When donors meet for the Global Vaccine Summit on 4th June, I hope the UK will take the opportunity to stress the importance of focussing Gavi’s efforts on reaching the poorest and most marginalised children.
With 170 million children aged 0–2 unvaccinated and global immunisation coverage stagnating at 86%, a child is dying from a vaccine-preventable disease every 20 seconds. The UK’s pledge to Gavi will help to change this, and I urge other donors to follow suit, to help protect a generation and build a healthier world for all.
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