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A leading global health organisation has warned that up to one million children could die from preventable diseases if the US follows through on plans to end financial support.
Dr. Sania Nishtar, head of Gavi, an alliance that provides life-saving vaccines to developing countries, said that losing US funding would have a “disastrous impact on global health security.”
This follows a report in The New York Times that the Trump administration intends to cut Gavi’s funding. The US, currently the alliance’s third-largest donor, has pledged $1.6 billion for the 2026-2030 period—about 15% of Gavi’s total budget.
While Gavi has not yet received an official termination notice, Dr. Nishtar said the alliance was “engaging with the White House and Congress” to secure $300 million for 2025 and long-term funding.
Severe Consequences for Global Health
Since taking office in January 2025, President Donald Trump has prioritized an “America First” approach, drastically reducing overseas spending. Earlier this year, the administration froze all US foreign aid for 90 days, with USAID among the first agencies targeted by cuts from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (Doge).
Dr. Nishtar warned that without US support, 75 million children could miss out on essential immunisation, increasing deaths from preventable diseases such as measles, tuberculosis, pneumonia, and polio.
The impact would extend beyond routine vaccinations, she added, compromising governments’ ability to maintain emergency vaccine stockpiles for outbreaks of Ebola, cholera, and mpox.
Widespread Concern Over Funding Cuts
Medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) echoed Gavi’s concerns.
“The consequences of this political decision will be catastrophic,” said Carrie Teicher, MSF USA’s chief programs officer.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) also voiced alarm, saying it is engaging with US authorities to address the disruption to major immunisation programmes.
“We are prioritising routine vaccines, but we also know how crucial vaccines for emergencies are,” said Dr. Ngongo Ngashi, Africa CDC’s emergencies incident manager.
He stressed the need for Africa to develop independent funding sources: “It is critical that we find our own funding streams that are not dependent on the decisions of external partners.”
Gavi Seeks Alternative Donors
With uncertainty over US support, Gavi is working to expand its donor base. Indonesia, previously a recipient of Gavi’s assistance, became a contributor last year.
“As a lean and efficient organisation where 97 cents of every dollar raised goes directly to immunisation programmes, it is impossible to consider that any US funding cut would not have disastrous implications for global health and the safety of people everywhere,” Dr. Nishtar said.
The press has reached out to the US State Department, which now oversees USAID, for comment.
