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Britain will continue to support global immunisation in poor countries against life threatening diseases including Meningitis, Diarrhoeal disease and Pneumonia, through new support for Gavi, known as the Vaccine Alliance.

The UK鈥檚 commitment to Gavi will save around 1.4 million children鈥檚 lives through the provision of cost-effective immunisation programmes, meaning that one child鈥檚 life is saved every 2 minutes.

During the 2016 to 2020 period, the UK鈥檚 investment in Gavi will:

• Provide an additional 76 million children with access to immunisation programmes against killer diseases
• Help support a huge scale up of the Human Papilloma Virus vaccine, which acts to prevent cervical cancer in women and girls.

Overall, the UK鈥檚 support to Gavi will help them deliver 1.5 billion immunisations and save 5 million lives between 2016 and 2020. They also expect to increase the proportion of children who are fully protected with the 11 vaccines recommended by the World Health Organization 10-fold to 50%.

Justine Greening said:

Some of the world鈥檚 most deadly and debilitating diseases are entirely preventable through immunisation. Britain鈥檚 investment in immunisation through Gavi has already saved millions of lives and contributed to the fall in global child deaths.

Investing in immunisation is one of the most cost-effective ways of saving lives and improving living standards, health and the global economy. It is in all our interests that we keep up the momentum to ensure that all the world鈥檚 children are protected with the safest and most modern vaccines.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander said:

The UK is a world-leader in providing support for developing nations across the world, from tackling ebola to supporting girls into school, as this commitment to save 1.4m lives through the Vaccine Alliance demonstrates.

I鈥檝e prioritised spending on international aid because it鈥檚 crucial in not only saving millions of lives, but in maintaining the UK鈥檚 high standing across the globe, and promoting global prosperity that is in all our interests.

In the 5 years 2016 to 2020, the UK will invest up to 拢1 billion in Gavi, so long as others contribute to ensure Gavi meets its target of $7.5 billion.

Gavi is likely to play an important role in the financing and roll out of a future Ebola vaccine.

Notes to editors

1. The new UK support for Gavi is worth up to 拢1 billion over the 5-year period of 2016 to 2020.
2. Created in 2000, Gavi is a global vaccine alliance bringing together public and private sector organisations with the shared goal of achieving equal access to new and underused vaccines for children living in the world鈥檚 poorest countries. Since then Gavi has immunised an additional 440 million children and averted 6 million deaths.
3. The UK is providing 拢1.32bn to Gavi from 2011-2015. Support for Gavi delivers a number of DFID鈥檚 objectives, including the Millennium Development Goal of reducing child deaths, aid transparency, value for money, economic development, and unlocking the potential of women and girls.
4. The UK has committed to give up to 拢1 billion to Gavi over the 2016 to 2020 period, so long as others help it meet its replenishment target of $7.5 billion. UK commitments through innovative financing are likely to generate an additional 拢440 million for Gavi during 2016-2020.