The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged $1.6 billion to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, for life-saving vaccines.

The Seattle-based Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has announced a five-year, $1.6 billion commitment to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to deliver life-saving vaccines to the world’s poorest countries.

This was announced at the Global Vaccine Summit 2020, hosted by Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom. It will help Gavi reach an additional 300 million children in the world’s most vulnerable communities and save up to eight million lives.

In addition to supporting the continuation of routine immunization services during the current Covid-19 crisis, Gavi will deploy potential Covid-19 vaccines to low-income countries when they become available.

“To beat the Covid-19 pandemic, the world needs more than breakthrough science. It needs breakthrough generosity.” – Bill Gates

“And that’s what we’re seeing today as leaders across the public and private sectors are stepping up to support Gavi – especially Prime Minister Johnson,” said Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, in a press statement. “When Covid-19 vaccines are ready, this funding and global coordination will ensure that people all over the world will be able to access them.”

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Chair of the Gavi Board, a Nigerian-born economist and former FORBES WOMAN AFRICA cover star, added: “As we enter one of the toughest periods in our history, with the Covid-19 pandemic disrupting vaccine programs across the globe and causing huge economic damage, this pledge will play a vital role in supporting countries’ efforts to prevent the resurgence of other deadly, vaccine-preventable diseases.”