US moves to stop funding for vaccine alliance, Gavi
The United States government under President Donald Trump has outlined plans to end funding for Gavi, a global vaccine alliance dedicated to expanding immunization access and improving public health worldwide.
A document from the U.S. Agency for International Development, shared with Congress earlier this week, lists Gavi among the international aid programs set to be defunded, Reuters reported on Thursday.
The document reveals that a total of 5,341 awards will be cancelled, amounting to nearly $76bn in cuts. Of this sum, the U.S. government has already committed approximately $48bn.
However, it noted that the Trump administration would continue supporting grants for HIV and tuberculosis treatment, as well as food aid programs for countries affected by civil conflicts and natural disasters.
The document, first reported by The New York Times, underscores a broader restructuring of U.S. foreign aid commitments.
“Each award terminated was reviewed individually for alignment with agency and administration priorities,” a State Department spokesperson said, adding that only programs deemed essential to U.S. national interests would be retained.
Gavi, which receives around $300m annually from the U.S., warned that the funding cut could have devastating consequences.
“If we don’t get U.S. support, that translates into 1.2 million deaths over the next five years,” the alliance’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Sania Nishtar, told Reuters.
She warned that children would be left vulnerable to deadly diseases like measles and diphtheria without continued financial support.
Nishtar and Gavi’s board chair, José Manuel Barroso, are scheduled to visit Washington next week to lobby for the continuation of U.S. funding.
“We hope that a final decision has not been made,”* she said, describing Gavi as a “best buy” in global health, given its role in saving children’s lives and strengthening global health security.
Beyond routine immunization efforts, Gavi maintains emergency vaccine stockpiles for outbreaks of diseases such as Ebola and yellow fever.
The alliance also assists countries in transitioning away from donor dependency as their economies grow.
On her official X handle, Nishtar described the U.S. as “one of Gavi’s oldest and strongest partners.”
“Together, we have helped cut child mortality in half, immunised a whole generation of children, and helped keep our world safe,” she wrote.
She also reaffirmed Gavi’s commitment to securing new funding and immunizing an additional 500 million children over the next five years.
“With your support, Gavi will keep delivering on its mission, protecting the world with our stockpiles for Ebola, mpox, and yellow fever vaccines, and generating huge returns on investment for our donors,”she added.
