Bill and Melinda Gates: Global Health is 'America's Best Investment for Saving Lives'

Bill and Melinda Gates: Global Health is 'America's Best Investment for Saving
Lives'

In speech to policymakers, Gateses to call for global push to halve child
deaths by 2025

WASHINGTON, Oct. 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In a joint speech to
policymakers tonight, Bill and Melinda Gates will make the case that U.S.
initiatives to fight AIDS, malaria, and other diseases in poor countries are
"America's best investment for saving lives," and that continued support could
help cut child deaths in half worldwide in just 15 years.

The Gateses, co-chairs of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will address an
audience of lawmakers, administration officials, and foreign policy experts at
Sidney Harman Hall in Washington, D.C. The presentation will be webcast live
at www.livingproofproject.org, beginning at 7:00 pm ET.

"Dollar for dollar, global health is America's best investment for saving
lives," said Bill Gates. "U.S.-supported global health programs are saving
and improving the lives of millions of people, at a remarkably low cost. All
Americans should be proud of this success."

"In our visits to developing countries, Bill and I have met countless people
who are alive, healthy, and productive as a result of U.S. global health
programs," said Melinda French Gates. "We want Americans to know how much
their generosity is accomplishing, and how much it's appreciated."

While spending on global health makes up less than one quarter of one percent
of the federal budget, it has increased significantly in recent years -- from
$1.5 billion in 2001 to $7.7 billion in 2009. These investments are achieving
impressive results; for example:

-- The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), launched in
2003, has helped to save an estimated 1.2 million lives by expanding
access to HIV prevention and treatment.
-- The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria, supported by the U.S.
and other donors, has provided 88 million insecticide-treated bed nets
to protect children from malaria.

-- In less than a decade, the GAVI Alliance -- a global initiative to
immunize children in poor countries -- has already prevented an
estimated 3.4 million deaths.

While recent progress in global health is encouraging, the Gateses will
emphasize that it is only a starting point.

"When it comes to global health, Bill and I are optimists -- but we're
impatient optimists," said Melinda Gates. "The world is getting better, but
it's not getting better for everyone, and it's not getting better fast
enough."

Gateses Call for Rapid Action to Cut Child Deaths in Half

In tonight's presentation, the Gateses will urge policymakers to commit to
reducing child deaths worldwide by nearly 50% -- from approximately nine
million at present per year to five million -- by 2025.

"U.S. support has already helped to reduce deaths of young children by more
than 50 percent in the past 50 years. If we keep up our commitment, it's
possible to cut child mortality in half again -- just 15 years from now," said
Bill Gates. "What's more, we can do it with proven interventions that already
exist."

Citing new projections by researchers at Johns Hopkins University, the Gateses
will highlight four key strategies that could be combined to achieve this
dramatic reduction in child mortality:

-- Vaccines: Immunizing 90% of children with vaccines to prevent
rotavirus, pneumococcal disease, measles, and other illnesses
-- Fighting malaria: Reaching 90% of people at risk with bed nets and
other malaria prevention tools, and providing effective malaria drugs
to
75% of those in need
-- Maternal and newborn care: Providing basic health services to at
least
75% of pregnant women and newborns

-- Treating diarrhea and pneumonia: Ensuring that at least 75% of
children
receive treatment for diarrhea and pneumonia, including antibiotics
for
bacterial infections

Researchers also estimate that implementing these strategies would reduce the
number of women who die in pregnancy and childbirth by approximately
one-third.

"These are ambitious goals - but we can achieve them, if we keep investing in
global health and expand programs that work," said Bill Gates. "If we
succeed, millions more children will have the opportunity for a healthy and
productive life."

Living Proof Project to Highlight Success of U.S. Global Health Investments

Tonight's event is part of a new awareness campaign, The Living Proof Project:
U.S. Investments in Global Health are Working, which seeks to inform
policymakers and the public about the impact of U.S.-supported global health
initiatives.

The Living Proof Project includes a website, www.livingproofproject.org, which
brings global health success stories to life with videos, photo galleries,
interactive graphics, and personal profiles. The campaign has also sponsored
TV, radio, print, and online advertising in Washington D.C., featuring people
from developing countries who are "living proof" that U.S. investments are
saving lives. The campaign will announce additional activities and events in
the coming weeks.

MEDIA MATERIALS:
Video clips and other media materials will be available following the speech
at: http://www.gatesfoundation.org/press-room/Pages/news-market.aspx and on
Pathfire -- VNF Tab A. Slug: "Bill & Melinda Gates Talk Global Health".

SATELLITE FEED INFORMATION:
Start Feed: 18:30 EDT, 27 Oct 09
End Feed: 20:30 EDT, 27 Oct 09
Satellite: HORIZONS 2 (Ku) Dig
Orbital Slot: 74 degrees WL
Transponder: 19 - Ch A
Bandwidth: 9 MHz
Uplink: 14426.5 Horizontal
Downlink: 12126.5 Vertical
FEC: 3/4
Symbol Rate: 6.1113
Carrier Access: Intelsat America (800) 631-3562

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In
developing countries, it focuses on improving people's health and giving them
the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the
United States, it seeks to ensure that all people -- especially those with the
fewest resources -- have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in
school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO
Jeff Raikes and Co-chair William H. Gates Sr., under the direction of Bill and
Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett. Learn more at www.gatesfoundation.org.

Contact: +1-206-709-3400 / media@gatesfoundation.org

SOURCE Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, +1-206-709-3400, media@gatesfoundation.org