Hundreds of thousands of children in the world’s poorest countries face a dire future as UK aid cuts threaten to reduce funding for a highly effective vaccination programme, warn international aid experts. New projections based on data from the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (Gavi) suggest that even a modest reduction in UK funding could lead to millions fewer vaccinations and hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths.
New Projections Highlight Severe Consequences
Data collated by aid agencies reveal that maintaining current contributions is critical. Even if the UK were to keep its existing funding—rather than increasing its contribution by 10%—Gavi would vaccinate 8 million fewer children, resulting in approximately 200,000 additional deaths. A 40% cut in overall aid could lead to many more preventable fatalities, putting global health progress at risk.
Government Policy Shift Raises Global Concerns
The proposed funding cuts come as part of a broader government plan to significantly reduce overseas aid in favor of boosting defence spending. This move follows the resignation of International Development Minister Anneliese Dodds, sparking further debate. While the Foreign Office claims that no specific programme decisions will be made until next month’s spending review, aid officials and campaigners brace for severe impacts on global vaccination efforts.
Implications for Global Health and UK Soft Power
The UK’s historic role in funding Gavi—with over £2 billion provided in the last four years—has been instrumental in vaccinating more than 1.1 billion children and preventing nearly 18 million deaths. Aid campaigners warn that slashing this funding would not only reverse years of progress but also diminish the UK’s diplomatic and cultural soft power. The British Council, partly financed from the aid budget, faces potential cuts that could see its presence in up to 40 countries reduced, undermining the UK’s broader security objectives.
Calls for Maintaining Funding and Reversing Cuts
Experts stress that reducing funding for Gavi would be fiscally easy yet disastrously costly in human terms. A Gavi spokesperson warned that any cut would severely damage efforts to support routine immunisation, maintain vaccine stockpiles against diseases like Ebola and cholera, and respond swiftly to outbreaks. With global emergencies on the horizon, aid agencies urge the government to reconsider its priorities and safeguard funding that has proven both cost-effective and life-saving.
