New UK support will see millions of children vaccinated against some of the world’s deadliest diseases, Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced today at Gavi’s global summit in Brussels.

The UK’s new £1.25 billion pledge to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, extends a close 25-year partnership which has helped to vaccinate over 1 billion children globally against diseases like meningitis, to prevent more than 18 million lives being lost, and to improve countries economic prospects.

Since 2000, when the UK was a founding member, Gavi has generated $250 billion in economic benefits through reduced death and disability. Gavi now receives investment from 56 countries and over 60 organisations. Nineteen countries have graduated from Gavi support, including India and Indonesia who have now become donors to Gavi.

Today’s pledge will help Gavi in their mission to protect up to 500 million children between 2026 to 2030 and save up to 8 million more lives.

It will also have a positive impact at home, creating British jobs and growth, through partnerships with health companies like GSK, which employs about 14,000 people in the UK, as the government delivers on its Plan for Change to boost economic growth.