The Seattle-based Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the government of Norway have announced grants of $750 million and $290 million, respectively, to support the work of the Geneva-based Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI).

GAVI was launched in 2000 with a contribution of $750 million from the Gates Foundation to address the fact that more than two million people in developing countries die needlessly each year because they do not receive the immunizations that are taken for granted in industrialized countries. Since its inception, the alliance has helped prevent more than 670,000 deaths by improving access to basic children's vaccines, strengthening vaccine delivery systems, and accelerating the introduction of new vaccines.

The World Health Organization estimates that $8 to $12 billion will be needed from donor and developing country governments over the next ten years to immunize children in the poorest countries with vaccines available today, while even more will be needed to introduce vaccines now in development.

"Supporting children's immunization is undoubtedly the best investment we've ever made," said Bill Gates. "In just five years, GAVI's efforts have saved hundreds of thousands of children's lives, and its work in the coming years will save millions more. But today's commitments are only a down payment. Rich countries can and should increase immunization funding to give children in developing countries a better shot at a healthy life."