Vaccines work. They save lives, protect the most vulnerable - especially children - and make the world safer for everyone. Unfortunately, 1 in 5 children around the world lack access to pre-existing vaccines and an estimated 1.5 million children die from vaccine-preventable illness every year.
That is unacceptable and Canada is committed to doing its part to build a safer, healthier world.
Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development, announced a pledge of $675 million over the next five years (2026-2030), for Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance. This investment will help Gavi, a trusted global health partner of Canada, provide lifesaving vaccines to at least 500 million more children, and prevent over 8 million deaths.
Canada's investment in Gavi will protect 50 million children with groundbreaking new malaria vaccines and 120 million girls from human papillomavirus (HPV), the main cause of cervical cancer. Our investment will expand vaccine storage facilities for children in remote communities around the world. It will strengthen global health security by expanding outbreak prevention and critical vaccine stockpiles, including new mpox vaccines. It will also protect the health and well-being of Canadians, preventing disease outbreaks and minimizing the chance of them spreading across borders.
Canada's renewed pledge for Gavi is good news for global health, and good news for the economy. As children get healthier, their families and communities contribute more to the economy, face lower health care costs, and can advance their careers. By ensuring children can live healthy lives, Gavi's work is projected to create over $100 billion in economic benefits. With today's pledge, Canada's core funding to Gavi has totalled over $1.75 billion since 2015.
As a proven partner in global health, Gavi has provided lifesaving vaccines to more than 1.1 billion children in 78 lower-income countries, preventing more than 18.8 million future deaths.
Canada has been investing in vaccination programs and global health systems for more than 50 years. Canada will continue to take action on global health security and well-being, towards the achievement of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. Together, we will protect children's health and well-being, reduce the spread of infectious diseases, and build a better, healthier world for everyone.
