Microsoft Corporation MSFT co-founder Bill Gates warned that shrinking global health funding threatens millions of children’s lives, even as he announced a $912 million pledge to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria.
Gates Warns Private Donations Can’t Replace Global Health Aid Cuts
Gates emphasized that even large private donations cannot fully offset government cuts to global health funding.
Speaking at a Reuters Newsmaker event on Monday, he said, “I am not capable of making up what the government cuts, and I don’t want to create an illusion of that.”
His statement came prior to the Gates Foundation’s annual Goalkeepers event in New York. This year, the event was centered on renewing global dedication to protecting children’s lives.
Gates also revealed that his foundation would contribute $912 million over three years to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria for its 2026–2028 replenishment cycle.
In a Gates Foundation blog post, he acknowledged the challenges but remained cautiously optimistic.
“What’s happening to the health of the world’s children is worse than most people realize, but our long-term prospects are better than most people can imagine,” Gates stated.
“I don’t expect most governments to suddenly restore foreign aid to historic levels, but I am an optimist, and I believe governments can and will do what’s needed to save as many children as possible,” he added.
Global Health Funding At 15-Year Low, Millions Of Children At Risk
The blog post also cited data from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation showing global development assistance for health (DAH) fell by 21% between 2024 and 2025, reaching a 15-year low.
Gates stressed that these cuts threaten decades of progress that reduced child mortality from 10 million in 2000 to fewer than 5 million annually today.
At the 2025 Goalkeepers event, Gates also outlined a strategy to save millions more children’s lives by 2045, emphasizing the need for governments to maximize every dollar and expand access to affordable, life-saving innovations.
He also announced a new pledge to the Global Fund’s 2026–2028 replenishment cycle, aimed at preventing deaths from AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria.
During the event, he honored the President of the Government of Spain with the 2025 Global Goalkeeper Award.
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Gates Warned US Aid Cuts Could Reverse Decades Of Global Health Progress
Earlier this year, Gates voiced serious concerns over U.S. budget and aid cuts that he said threatened global health.
He criticized the Trump administration’s withdrawal of funding from Gavi, the vaccine alliance that had helped immunize over a billion children, warning that the reductions could reverse decades of progress and increase child mortality for the first time since the 1990s.
Gates also highlighted the broader impact of continued U.S. cuts to global health programs, citing a Lancet study projecting an additional 8 million child deaths by 2040.
He shared personal observations from Nigeria and Ethiopia, noting stalled tuberculosis and malaria programs and delays in life-saving medications.
In addition, Gates criticized Tesla Inc. TSLA CEO Elon Musk’s push for $2 trillion in government budget cuts through the Department of Government Efficiency, arguing that rapid reductions in foreign aid could lead to millions of preventable deaths worldwide.
He has also urged Congress to restore funding to programs like PEPFAR and the Global Fund, emphasizing that timely action could still save lives.
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Photo: Shutterstock/Alexandros Michailidis