Bill Gates has sounded the alarm on the dire state of child mortality in northern Nigeria, where a staggering 15% of children born in the region risk dying before the age of five.
Speaking at a Reuters Newsmaker event in New York, Gates emphasized the urgent need for sustained global health funding to prevent millions of children from falling victim to preventable deaths.
The statistics are alarming, with global child mortality having been halved since 2000, saving around five million lives annually. However, progress could be reversed due to funding cuts. Global development assistance has dropped by 21% between 2024 and 2025, reaching its lowest level in 15 years. Gates stressed that philanthropy alone cannot replace government support, urging governments to reverse health funding cuts.
To bridge the funding gap, the Gates Foundation has pledged $912 million to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. This contribution aims to galvanize governments, philanthropists, and the private sector to come forward with significant investments. Gates emphasized that the Global Fund is one of the most effective lifesaving initiatives of the 21st century, having saved over 70 million lives and reduced HIV/AIDS and malaria deaths by 60% since 2000.
While many countries have reduced health funding, Spain has bucked the trend by increasing its contributions to the Global Fund by 12% and Gavi by 30%. Gates remains optimistic that with consistent investment in innovations like long-acting HIV prevention drugs and vaccine distribution, millions of children’s lives can still be saved.
Gates highlighted the importance of sustained funding for organizations like the Global Fund and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. He also emphasized the need for governments to prioritize primary healthcare and support innovations that can help reduce child mortality rates. By working together, he believes it’s possible to make significant progress in saving lives and improving global health.
The Gates Foundation has outlined a roadmap to halve child deaths again by 2045, focusing on renewing investments in proven initiatives, prioritizing primary healthcare systems, and investing in breakthrough innovations. The foundation’s pledge and call to action come at a critical moment, with the Global Fund’s replenishment cycle ending in November.
