Gavi replenishment marks a major step forward, but the shortfall threatens to undo critical progress

On 25 June, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, an international organisation that provides vaccines to lower-income countries, culminated its latest replenishment cycle at the Health and Prosperity through Immunization Global Summit, co-hosted in Brussels by Gavi, the European Union and Gates Foundation. 

Gavi has secured over $9 billion to save at least eight million lives and protect at least 500 million children from vaccine-preventable diseases through immunisation programmes between 2026 and 2030.  

“The commitments made to Gavi are welcome, coming at such a pivotal moment for malaria prevention,” says James Tibenderana, Chief Executive of Malaria Consortium. “With fairer vaccine pricing and growing political will, we have the tools to make a real difference. At Malaria Consortium, we’re committed to helping translate this global ambition into lasting impact on the ground.” 

However, Gavi fell $2.9 billion short of its intended goal. This is, in large part, due to the United States announcing it would halt all contributions to the organisation, citing vaccine safety concerns, which Gavi have refuted. Without funding from the US, Gavi estimates that more than 1.2 million children in low- and middle-income countries will die over the next five years. Other countries also reduced their contributions, with the UK announcing it would cut its funding to Gavi by nearly 25 percent.  

Global health experts have issued warnings about the effect this funding gap could have; it’s been estimated that without US contributions, an additional 75 million children could miss routine immunisations. Malaria Consortium has been witness to the importance of Gavi’s support in its work to distribute live-saving malaria vaccines in Uganda — and in expanding access to other essential childhood vaccines through integrated approaches.  

One such approach is now being piloted in Togo, where Malaria Consortium is identifying and referring zero-dose and under-immunised children during seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) campaigns. This work is helping to reach children most at risk of missing life-saving protection, while building an evidence base for scaling integrated service delivery models across other high-need settings. 

While the UK’s renewed commitment is welcome in the current fiscal climate, the risk remains that without sufficient investment in cross-cutting global health systems — including surveillance, reporting and frontline capacity — the impact of vaccine investments will not be fully realised or sustained. 

“This replenishment comes at a critical moment,” says Kolawole Maxwell, West and Central Africa Programmes Director, Malaria Consortium. “Vaccines remain among the most effective tools we have to protect children and communities from preventable diseases.” However, the $2.9 billion shortfall poses a serious risk to maintaining and expanding immunisation coverage, especially in low-income countries where the need is most urgent, he says. “Securing these funds is not just a financial necessity; it’s a moral imperative to ensure no one is left behind in the fight against vaccine-preventable illnesses. If this is not done, there could be a reversal of the progress we have made over the years”. 

As Gavi enters its next strategic phase, urgent action is needed to close the funding deficit. The Alliance has lined up innovative financing models as a way to bridge gaps and ensure funds are deployed flexibly. But to uphold progress in malaria control, sustained political will and donor solidarity are essential. The stakes could not be higher: without sustained investment, fragile progress for communities already experiencing significant health inequity could be lost and, with it, the opportunity to reach every child with life-saving protection.