Thu Mar 27 12:14:00 UTC 2025: ## US Funding Cuts to Global Vaccine Program Gavi Could Cause Over a Million Deaths, Experts Warn

**Geneva/Washington D.C.** – The potential termination of US funding for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has sparked alarm among global health experts, who warn that the move could lead to over a million preventable deaths and endanger global health security.

The Trump administration’s decision, revealed in a budget document sent to Congress, would eliminate approximately a quarter of Gavi’s funding. While Gavi CEO Sania Nishtar confirmed they haven’t received formal notification, the organization is actively engaging with the White House and Congress to secure the previously approved $300 million for 2025 and beyond.

Experts contend that cutting Gavi’s funding would be disastrous, reversing decades of progress in combating infectious diseases like measles, tuberculosis, and polio. They argue that the economic consequences outweigh the savings, citing estimates that every dollar invested in Gavi yields $21 in savings through averted healthcare costs and lost productivity. A Johns Hopkins study further underscores this, estimating nearly $782 billion in cost savings over the next decade from vaccine programs.

The decision is criticized not only for its humanitarian impact but also for its shortsightedness in terms of global health security. Infectious diseases, as the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated, transcend national borders, posing a risk to all nations. Cutting funding, experts argue, increases the risk of outbreaks worldwide, ultimately costing more in the long run.

Several prominent figures have spoken out against the proposed cuts. Dr. Craig Spencer, an Ebola survivor and physician, warned that the move will lead to children dying, and that Gavi maintains crucial global vaccine stockpiles. Professor Jennifer Nuzzo of Brown University called the proposal “mind-bogglingly short-sighted,” highlighting that US support for Gavi is a cost-effective investment in global health security, not mere charity.

Concerns have also been raised about self-censorship among organizations and individuals afraid to criticize the administration’s cuts. The silence, some argue, masks the severe consequences of this decision and the moral imperative to support global health initiatives that benefit both the world’s poorest populations and global security.

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