UK partners with Gavi, the global Vaccine Alliance, to help save up to 8 million lives by 2030.

UK pledges US$1.7b to Gavi to vaccinate 500m children, including in Laos

The United Kingdom has announced a renewed commitment to global health, pledging US$1.7 billion to Gavi, the global Vaccine Alliance, aiming to protect up to 500 million children and save as many as 8 million lives by 2030.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy recently made the announcement at Gavi’s Global Summit in Brussels, according to a press release from the UK Embassy to Laos.
This new pledge enhances the UK’s status as one of Gavi’s leading investors and extends a 25-year partnership that has already helped vaccinate over one billion children worldwide.
Since its founding in 2000—of which the UK was a founding member—Gavi has helped prevent more than 18 million deaths and has contributed an estimated US$250 billion in economic benefits through improved health outcomes.
Foreign Secretary Lammy underscored the scale of the achievement: “Gavi’s global impact is undeniable. Over 1 billion children vaccinated, over 18 million lives saved, over US$250 billion injected into the global economy.”
“Our ongoing partnership with Gavi will give millions of children a better start, save lives
and protect us all from the spread of deadly diseases.”
The UK’s renewed support will help fund vaccine distribution and immunisation campaigns against some of the world’s deadliest diseases, including measles, cholera and meningitis.
This pledge has a direct and meaningful impact on countries like Laos, which is a current beneficiary of Gavi support. In 2024, Laos received over US$8 million through Gavi, thus supporting the Lao government’s launch of a nationwide campaign to protect girls against human papillomavirus (HPV), aiming to protect over 124,000 girls aged 10-14 from cervical cancer. Cervical cancer, primarily caused by HPV, remains one of the most serious health threats to Lao women aged 35-49.
Additionally, Gavi supported the rollout of an Electronic Immunisation Register in Laos, a digital innovation that has already registered more than 152,000 children born in 2024. This tool enables real-time tracking of vaccination status, ensuring timely and complete immunisation for children across the country.
Gavi CEO Dr Sania Nishtar welcomed the UK’s continued support, saying “The United Kingdom is one of Gavi’s longest and most committed partners. This pledge for our next strategic period reaffirms its status as a leader in global health and I am delighted that we will be able to count on its support in our next strategic period, working together and leveraging some of the best in British science and innovation as we save lives and fight outbreaks around the world.”
Gavi now receives investment from 56 countries and over 60 organisations. Nineteen countries have graduated from Gavi support, including India and Indonesia, who have now become donors to Gavi.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update July 10, 2025)