Gavi and the Global Fund Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Brian Mathew
Main Page: Brian Mathew (Liberal Democrat - Melksham and Devizes)Department Debates - View all Brian Mathew's debates with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
(1 day, 15 hours ago)
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Brian Mathew (Melksham and Devizes) (LD)
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Jardine. I thank the hon. Member for Milton Keynes Central (Emily Darlington) for introducing this vital debate.
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has saved over 65 million lives since its inception. It remains one of the most effective mechanisms we have to combat infectious diseases worldwide—diseases whose death tolls continue to rise every year, especially in some of the world’s poorest regions. Gavi supports the immunisation and vaccination of almost half the world’s children, and has prevented over 18.8 million deaths across the world.
The United Kingdom has historically stood at the forefront of global health. From pioneering the invention of the vaccine and life-saving medications to supporting the NHS, our commitment to science and health has shaped the world. Continuing our support for Gavi and the Global Fund is not only morally correct but strategically wise. Why? Because disease knows no boundaries. We all learned that lesson with covid. Infectious diseases not only cause individual tragedy but threaten global development and stability, and rock economies to their core.
When we invest in global health systems and these organisations, we do not just save lives abroad but protect our citizens—our constituents—by preventing future outbreaks, strengthening early-warning systems and developing research that will benefit everyone. Every penny that the UK invests in Gavi and the Global Fund yields incredible returns. It provides antiretroviral therapy for people living with TB and HIV. It creates global stockpiles of vaccines for Ebola, cholera and yellow fever, so that any emerging pandemic can be stamped out quickly. It provides mosquito nets to protect children while they sleep.
Gavi and the Global Fund help to build and strengthen health systems, empower communities and promote gender equality. They give people a chance to live and work without risk of needless infection. Failing to fund these two vital organisations would risk reversing decades of progress and letting preventable diseases kill thousands of people each year. If we step up and maintain our support, the UK will send a clear message that we will not turn our backs, and that we believe in a society where no one has to die from a disease that we can treat.
Jonas Salk, the inventor of the polio vaccine, said:
“The reward for work well done is the opportunity to do more.”
Let us help Gavi and the Global Fund to do more.