UK to protect up to 75 million children against deadly diseases
The UK today confirmed that it will be the largest supporter of the international alliance to vaccinate children against deadly diseases, saving millions of lives, Report informs.
By vaccinating millions of children against other deadly diseases, we are supporting the world’s poorest countries so they can cope with rising coronavirus cases.
Speaking to MPs, International Development Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan announced a funding pledge equivalent of £330 million a year over the next five years to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which will help fund immunisation of 75 million children in the world’s poorest countries.
Preventable diseases, like measles, polio and typhoid, still kill hundreds of thousands of people each year. By vaccinating millions of children against other deadly diseases, we are supporting healthcare systems in the world’s poorest countries so they can cope with rising coronavirus cases. Health experts have warned that if coronavirus is left to spread in developing countries, this could lead to the virus re-emerging in the UK later in the year and put further pressure on our NHS.
Gavi has so far helped vaccinate more than 760 million children, preventing more than 13 million deaths.