The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has issued a pressing call to world leaders to boost global health spending, particularly in regions severely impacted by the climate crisis, to safeguard children’s health and nutrition.
In its eighth annual Goalkeepers report, “A Race to Nourish a Warming World,” the foundation warns that inaction will exacerbate malnutrition, affecting an additional 40 million children by 2050.
The report highlights alarming statistics: 148 million children suffered from stunting, and 45 million from wasting in 2023, with Africa bearing the brunt of child deaths despite receiving decreased foreign aid.
Bill Gates emphasized that addressing malnutrition is critical, citing its devastating impact on physical and cognitive development and significant economic losses – $3 trillion annually, equivalent to 3-16% of GDP in low-income countries.
To combat this crisis, the foundation advocates for:
- Scaling up agricultural technologies to boost milk production and safety
- Fortifying pantry staples to reduce anaemia and neural tube defects
- Providing prenatal vitamins to save lives and improve birth outcomes
- Advancing microbiome research to enhance gut health
Gates stressed that investing in nutrition is vital to mitigating climate change’s impacts and solving related problems like extreme poverty and disease susceptibility.
The foundation urges leaders to maintain global health funding, support the Child Nutrition Fund, and fully finance established institutions like Gavi and the Global Fund.
