Microsoft founder calls for worldwide vaccination programs

Microsoft founder calls for worldwide vaccination programs

17/05/2011

The Microsoft founder Bill Gates (55) promotes the support of vaccination programs worldwide, especially to ensure a better protection of children. The vaccinations could save up to ten million lives, Gates said yesterday at the World Health Assembly in Geneva.

As part of the World Health Assembly, World Health Organization (WHO) delegates dealt with a wide variety of topics, including the destruction of the most recent smallpox virus stocks in Russia and the US. But the Microsoft founder had come for another reason. Gates promoted vaccination programs worldwide to provide protection against diseases such as polio, especially to needy children in developing countries.

Bill Gates promotes worldwide support for vaccination programs
The Microsoft founder Bill Gates has been involved more and more in the nonprofit sector for years, with the „Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation“, a foundation against hunger and disease, which Gates, together with his wife Melinda (46), has, above all, the health of needy children in developing countries in view. At the WHO meeting, Gates pleaded in favor of supporting vaccination programs worldwide, with pharmaceutical manufacturers having a duty to provide low-cost vaccines for poorer countries, according to the Microsoft founder. Gates stressed that „a strong vaccination system to stop the polio“ will and can contribute „to provide all children with five to six new vaccines.“

Microsoft founder calls „Decade of vaccines“
According to Gates „four by 2020 and ten million by 2020“ be saved by implementing appropriate vaccination programs. However, this requires one thing „Decade of vaccines“, said the Microsoft founder at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, calling on all states and industry to make their contribution. According to Gates, the aim in the fight against polio, meningitis and pneumonia should be a vaccination coverage of up to 90 percent in all countries worldwide. „That may be the hardest thing we've ever done. But it is also the most important thing“, stressed the multi-billionaire at the 64th World Health Assembly.

Targeted request to improve vaccination programs
With his call, the Microsoft founder turned explicitly to countries such as India, Nigeria, Chad or the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as often happens here „less than half of the children receive the necessary vaccinations“. As a positive example, Gates called Burkina Faso and Mali, who were able to achieve far-reaching success in the fight against meningitis. The vaccines cost relatively little, can be easily distributed and protect the children from long-term illnesses, Gates explained. Gates was convinced of that, „that we have the opportunity to shape a new future in which global health is the cornerstone of global prosperity.“ (Fp)