NOUA ERA CIZELATA LA FORUMUL ECONOMIC MONDIAL. Bill Gates doneaza la Davos 10 miliarde de dolari pentru "Decada Vaccinurilor"

CNN. Friday, January 29, 2010 Davos, Switzerland (CNN) —
Bill and Melinda Gates announced plans Friday to invest $10 billion in the fight against a number of illnesses including AIDS and said the record donation could save nearly nine million lives. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, they said the 10-year program will focus on vaccines for AIDS, tuberculosis, rota virus and pneumonia.
“We must make this the decade of vaccines,” said Bill Gates. “Vaccines are a miracle,” added Melinda Gates. “With just a few doses, they can prevent deadly diseases for a lifetime. We’ve made vaccines our priority at the Gates Foundation because we’ve seen firsthand their incredible impact on children’s lives.”
Since stepping down as chief executive officer of Microsoft in mid-2008, Bill Gates has devoted most of his time to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, a philanthropic organization he set up with his wife Melinda. He remains part-time chairman of the software giant.

Bill, Melinda Gates donate $10bn for vaccines in developing countries

2010-01-30 13:40:00

The decision of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to devote 10 billion dollars to vaccine research, development and delivery in the next ten years has drawn a warm response. Diseases like pneumonia, diarrhoea and malaria lead to the death of 5 million children worldwide annually, mostly in low-income countries, because those who need vaccines do not have access to them. The Gates Foundation seeks to eradicate this global inequity. Orin Levine, executive director of the International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC), pointed out that the "announcement is a major boost for global health and vaccines." He said: The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has once again set the bar for results-driven aid. By aiming at pneumonia, diarrhea, and malaria, the funding will save millions of lives. "But the Gates Foundation cannot achieve the full promise of vaccines on its own. Manufacturers must increase their investments in vaccine research and development, donor countries must mobilize to help fund new vaccines, and developing countries must make the investments and take the steps necessary for delivering life-saving vaccines to their children." Levine added: "Now more than ever and in light of the opportunities provided by the Gates Foundation's commitment, we urge all parties to work together to ensure access to life saving vaccines to those who need them worldwide." (ANI) Reuters: Bill Gates promises $10 billion for vaccines DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) - Bill and Melinda Gates said on Friday they would spend $10 billion over the next decade to develop and deliver vaccines, an increased commitment that reflects progress in the pipeline of products for immunizing children in the developing world. Over the past 10 years, the Microsoft co-founder's charity has committed $4.5 billion to vaccines and has been instrumental in establishing the GAVI alliance, a public-private partnership that channels money for vaccines in poor countries. By increasing immunization coverage in developing countries to 90 percent, it should be possible to prevent the deaths of 7.6 million children under five between 2010 and 2019, Gates told reporters at the World Economic Forum. Margaret Chan, director-general of the World Health Organization described Gates' commitment to vaccines as "unprecedented" and called on governments around the world and the private sector to match it with "unprecedented action." Vaccination rates have already climbed remarkably in recent years, with even a poor African country like Malawi now boasting coverage rates similar to those in many Western cities. "Over the last 10 years, the success of both increased vaccine coverage and getting new vaccines out has been phenomenal," Gates said. More cash is now needed to make the most of new vaccines becoming available, including ones against severe diarrhea and pneumococcal disease from GlaxoSmithKline, Merck and Pfizer. "We can take immunization to the next level, with the expanded uptake of new vaccines against major killers such as pneumonia and rotavirus diarrhea," Chan said in a statement. She said an extra two million deaths in children under five could be prevented by 2015 by widespread use of new vaccines and a 10 percent increase in global immunization coverage. Further off, Glaxo is also in the final phase of testing a vaccine against malaria that Gates said could slash deaths from the mosquito-borne disease. Gates warned against the risk of governments diverting foreign aid funding for health toward climate change, arguing that health should stay a top priority -- not least because better health leads to a lower birth rate. Curbing the globe's population growth is critical for tackling global warming. (Reporting by Ben Hirschler, additional reporting by Kate Kelland, editing by Jon Boyle)