The Senate voted to support GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, this week through a resolution introduced by U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Time Kaine (D-VA).
The resolution commends and reaffirms support for GAVI. It also puts the nation’s money where its mouth is, so to speak, pledging U.S. support to secure a minimum of $7.4 billion in donor commitments for GAVI’s third replenishment and to urge donor countries and private sector partners alike to step up and pay their part.
“GAVI remains a leading organization in providing critical support to advance global health security by ensuring access to life-saving vaccines and immunizations,” Rubio said. “I’m happy to see the Senate unanimously approved this bipartisan resolution commending GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, for their efforts to expand vaccines, especially for children, in developing countries.”
The replenishment comes during the global COVID-19 pandemic, which has infected more than 8.3 million people and killed nearly 450,000, including more than 117,000 in the United States. The world is still racing to create a vaccine for that disease.
“Now more than ever, it’s clear how critical GAVI’s efforts are to expand access to vaccines and immunizations to the world’s most vulnerable,” Kaine said. “Their indispensable work has saved hundreds of millions of children from fatal diseases, and their mission now continues in helping low-income countries respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
With the additional resources proposed in this replenishment, GAVI plans to support the immunization of some 300 million children against potentially fatal diseases. It estimates that its actions will save between 7 and 8 million from 2021 to 2025.
“The successful Gavi replenishment this month will help support countries to immunize more than 300 million more children in the years ahead,” Joanne Carter, executive director of the non-profit advocacy group RESULTS, said. “RESULTS applauds the passage of S. Res. 511 and now looks to the Senate for supplemental support for Gavi alongside other critical health priorities in any next COVID-19 response package.”