(Reuters) -U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr said on Wednesday the government would no longer contribute to Gavi, a public-private partnership that helps buy vaccines for the world’s poorest children.
Kennedy accused Gavi of neglecting vaccine safety, making questionable recommendations around Covid-19 vaccines and raised concerns about the DTPw (diphtheria-tetanus-whole cell pertussis) vaccine.
He said this in a recorded video delivered to Gavi’s fundraising summit in Brussels and seen by Reuters. The news was first reported by Politico.
In response, Gavi said it has full confidence in the DTPw vaccine and looks forward to continue its partnership with the U.S. government.
Gavi leaders are in Brussels for the organization’s pledging summit, where the alliance aims to raise $9 billion for its work from 2026-30.
The Trump administration has previously indicated that it planned to cut its funding for Gavi, representing around $300 million annually.
(Reporting by Mariam Sunny and Mrinalika Roy in Bengaluru; Jennifer Rigby in London; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila and Arun Koyyur)
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