World Bank

Gates Foundation Pledges $10 Billion To Vaccine Research

“The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will donate $10 billion over the next decade to research vaccines and make them available to the world's poorest countries, the Microsoft co-founder and his wife said Friday. Calling on governments and businesses to contribute, the Gateses said the initiative will produce higher immunization rates and is intended to protect 90 percent of children in poorer countries against such dangerous conditions as diarrhea and pneumonia….” [The Washington Post (1/30)/Factiva]

AP adds that “…Gates said the commitment more than doubles the $4.5 billion the foundation has given to vaccine research over the years. The foundation said up to 7.6 million children under 5 could be saved through 2019 as a result of the donation. It also estimates that an additional 1.1 million kids would be saved if a malaria vaccine can be introduced by 2014. A tuberculosis vaccine would prevent even more deaths….” [Associated Press (1/29)/Factiva]

Xinhua writes that “… ‘We must make this the decade of vaccines,’ said Bill Gates at the World Economic Forum annual meeting. ‘Vaccines already save and improve millions of lives in developing countries. Innovation will make it possible to save more children than ever before.’… The couple also said that billions more are needed from other donors to achieve the goal of 90 percent coverage of childhood immunization….” [Xinhua (1/30)/Factiva]