David Mundell MP has welcomed an announcement from the UK Coalition Government that British aid will help vaccinate a child in the developing world every two seconds for the next five years.
Over 80 million under-fives living in some of the poorest countries in the world will be vaccinated against diseases like pneumonia and diarrhoea with the help of British aid as part of a broader collective effort.
Mr Mundell said: "Vaccinations are positive proof that well spent aid saves lives. The UK Coalition Government has conducted a root and branch review of its aid spending to ensure that it was working effectively and investing in vaccines for the poorest children in the world is one of the most effective ways of saving lives. I will be visiting Sierra Leone in West Africa again later this year to take part in a voluntary project and that is the sort of place where you really see the difference which funding like this makes. The UK is keeping its promises to the poorest people around the world and that is something which we can all be proud of.”
Notes:
Microsoft founder Bill Gates has praised the UK Coalition Government’s "absolutely fantastic" decision meet its UN target of spending 0.7% of GNI (gross national income) on overseas aid by 2013, saying "the UK government is taking a lead".