US ends funding for global vaccine alliance Gavi

Gavi, the global vaccine alliance, expressed disappointment on Thursday after the United States announced it would end its funding, citing safety concerns. The US decision, announced in a video by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., followed a Gavi summit where the organization sought funding. Kennedy questioned vaccine safety without providing evidence, leading to Gavi's disagreement. Despite the US withdrawal, Gavi secured over $9 billion in pledges, though short of its goal. The organization aims to protect 500 million children from preventable diseases in the next five years.