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On 29 January, WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan welcomed the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation pledge of US$ 10 billion over the next ten years to accelerate global vaccine efforts. "The Gates Foundation's commitment to vaccines is unprecedented, but needs to be matched by unprecedented action. It's absolutely crucial that both governments and the private sector step up efforts to provide life-saving vaccines to children who need them most," said Dr Chan.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announcement comes on the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI). Dr Chan also congratulated the GAVI Alliance on its accomplishment of reaching 257 million additional children with new and underused vaccines.
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