UK hosts Global Vaccine Summit to raise funds

The UK government recently hosted a virtual Global Vaccine Summit, to raise funds for vaccination programs in the fight against infectious diseases. The summit was Gavi’s third pledging conference, following the success of the Berlin summit held back in January 2015.

The new pledges made during the Global Vaccine Summit will allow Gavi to protect the future generation, and help reduce disease inequality by reaching an extra 300 million children with vaccines by 2025.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General said that vaccines had prevented the loss of millions of lives. He added that vaccines only reach their full potential when they are implemented to protect the poorest and most vulnerable. The pandemic is unravelling many of the gains that have been made, with vaccination campaigns underway for polio, measles, cholera, and diphtheria.

The funding commitments during the Global Vaccine Summit directly translates to the Gavi Alliance being better able to maintain immunization in low-income countries, and mitigate the impact of the current pandemic, also while strengthening the health system.

The backlash of the current pandemic is a harsh reminder of how much individual health depends on collective health and the vital role vaccines play in keeping the globe safe and healthy. The Global Vaccine Summit also shed a light on how important it is to have safe, equitable, and effective vaccines in fighting the pandemic.