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GAVI Alliance Special Representative, Alex Palacios
Washington, DC, 19 March 2013 - GAVI Alliance Special Representative, Alex Palacios, this week testified on Capitol Hill to request that the United States Government contribute US$ 175 million to GAVI for Fiscal Year 2014 and that Congress appropriate US$ 750 million for maternal and child health programmes administered by USAID.
Appearing before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs, Mr. Palacios highlighted the critical support of the US. in GAVI’s ambition to prevent the deaths of almost four million people by end 2015 by rapidly increasing access to life-saving vaccines such as pentavalent, pneumococcal, rotavirus, meningitis A, and measles-rubella.
One of GAVI’s first public donors
“Thanks to the support from this Committee, The United States contribution to GAVI has already helped it achieve strong success over the past 12 years,” said Mr. Palacios. “GAVI’s support to more than 70 countries has significantly increased routine immunisation coverage in these countries. Approximately four out of five children now have access to immunisation. US support to GAVI has directly contributed to saving lives and improving public health for millions.”
As one of GAVI’s first public donors, the US has helped to leverage support from numerous other governments, private companies, faith based organizations and individuals. GAVI very much appreciates the strong bi-partisan support it has received from this subcommittee and the US Congress.