At the 2013 Lions Clubs International Convention in Hamburg, Germany, LCIF made a commitment to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to raise US$30 million to help protect tens of millions of children in the world’s poorest countries against measles. If we could accomplish this ambitious goal, these funds would be matched by the Gavi Matching Fund, whose primary contributors are the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the UK Department for International Development.
LCIF is pleased to announce that thanks to the generosity and service of Lions, this goal has been reached, bringing the total amount raised to US$60 million. Thank you, Lions.
Impact
With support from LCIF and the Gavi Matching Fund, 87.7 million children have been immunized in communities across the world. 97.8 million doses of the potentially life-saving measles or measles-rubella vaccine has been procured. This means the prevention of 61,000 future deaths.
For the first time in known history, the annual measles death rate has declined to less than 100,000 deaths per year. LCIF applauds this achievement, and is proud to have contributed to this success.
If you would like to continue to protect children across the world from this terrible disease, please consider making a donation to LCIF.
