Ex-Gavi CEO Warns of Risks if Trump Cuts Vaccine Funding
What poses the greatest risk to the health security of Americans? Several possibilities exist. is spreading among birds, cattle, and 50 mammal species. are on the rise both domestically and internationally. COVID-19 remains a threat and could evolve into a more lethal form. Further away, Uganda is still battling an Ebola outbreak, and has been detected in . However, the most significant threat to American health might be self-inflicted. According to a , there are plans to for international immunization programs, including , which have long protected Americans from health risks originating abroad. These cuts would seriously endanger the health, well-being, and economic stability of every American.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has emphasized that U.S. foreign policy should prioritize American national interests. He stated that every expenditure, program, and policy must be justified by answering three simple questions. For decades, U.S. support for international immunization has unequivocally met these criteria. U.S. philanthropies and the government have been instrumental in funding vaccines for many of the world’s most vulnerable children.
Vaccines are our primary defense against infectious diseases, both as a preventive measure and as a response to escalating outbreaks or pandemics. In our rapidly changing world, we know the is inevitable, not just a possibility.
Consider Gavi, a global alliance of public and private partners dedicated to global vaccination efforts. Gavi, , employs an innovative financing strategy to significantly lower vaccine costs and gradually transfer the financial responsibility of immunization programs to national governments as they progress from low-income to middle-income status. The alliance provides vaccines for half the world’s children, having immunized over 1.1 billion children in the past 25 years. This has resulted in a remarkable return on investment of $54 for every dollar spent.
Naturally, as a former , my perspective is biased. However, by any objective standard, Gavi’s accomplishments have been exceptional, not only in projecting U.S. soft power but also in safeguarding the vital security interests of the United States and its allies.
The front lines in the fight against many infectious diseases may be distant from U.S. borders, but every case of measles or avian influenza within the U.S. underscores a crucial point: viruses disregard borders. In our interconnected world, immunization in less developed countries is essential to preventing outbreaks of preventable but devastating diseases both abroad and within the U.S.—diseases that can claim lives and cost billions to contain. In essence, improved immunization coverage in Khartoum and Kinshasa saves lives there, but also in Kansas City.
Reflect on the situation just over a decade ago. In 2014, three West African nations were ravaged by an that resulted in over 11,000 deaths. Cases appeared in the U.S. and six other countries, triggering fear and panic exacerbated by the absence of a vaccine to control the disease. Gavi not only facilitated the development of an experimental vaccine but also established a global vaccine stockpile that has been instrumental in rapidly containing subsequent outbreaks. Consequently, no further cases have reached the U.S.
This health-security dividend is the reason why U.S. funding for global immunization programs has historically enjoyed strong bipartisan support, starting under President George W. Bush and continuing during President Trump’s first term, when he to Gavi, even while reducing contributions to other global health initiatives.
His continued support for Gavi was logical because the alliance was regarded as a model for effective aid delivery. Notably, the U.S., the second-largest government funder after the U.K., contributed proportionally to its share of the global economy. Since 2000, its efforts have enabled 19 countries to strengthen their health systems and economies to the point where they no longer require international immunization support. Indonesia, for example, recently became a Gavi donor for the first time. This contrasts with many aid programs that lack an exit strategy. The more we support Gavi now, the sooner it will achieve its ultimate goal of rendering itself obsolete by making us all safer.
The American people voted for America First. To many, this means reducing waste, using taxpayer dollars wisely, and ensuring that every dollar serves American interests. Gavi helps achieve all these objectives, and its current CEO that it has not received an official termination notice and hopes to collaborate with the White House and Congress to secure funding. We can only hope these efforts succeed. Cutting funds for vaccinations would be self-defeating. Maintaining our support for immunization abroad continues to create a healthier and safer world for everyone, including America.
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