Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Back for his question. The Turnbull government is committed to helping build strong health systems in our region because, by supporting our neighbourhood, we are responding to health threats. Health security is very important to regional security. Over the next four years, Australia will contribute $250 million to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which is a public-private global health partnership. Gavi is an important partner for Australia in the fight to reduce child mortality and to enhance regional health security. Gavi supports vaccines that save lives and addresses the common causes of childhood illness and death, such as pneumonia, diarrhoea and measles by helping low-income countries procure new and underused vaccines at globally low prices.

In Asian and the Pacific, more than 230 million children have been immunised with Gavi's support. That is more than 22 million children in Indonesia, 600,000 children to our north in Papua New Guinea and 80,000 children in the Solomon Islands. Many vaccine-preventable diseases no longer affect Australian children, but they are still too common in developing countries, including in our own neighbourhood. We do not want them back in our country. Therefore, our commitment is essential. It is also excellent value for money. For every dollar that Australia has committed to Gavi, it has provided $12 to countries in Asia and the Pacific. Since 2001, Gavi has committed $3 billion to vaccine support— (Time expired)