President John Dramani Mahama has made a passionate appeal to the international community to prioritize saving lives over investing in weapons, as he addressed the Global Summit on Health and Prosperity through Immunisation in Brussels, Belgium.
Speaking during the Gavi Vaccine Alliance pledging conference on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, President Mahama emphasized the need for collective commitment to fully fund Gavi’s 2026–2030 strategy, which aims to immunize 500 million children, save over 8 million lives, and protect against up to 150 disease outbreaks.
“It is a choice we have to make between taking lives and saving lives, and I’m sure that we will save lives instead of taking lives,” Mahama stated.
“One B2 Spirit bomber that dropped bombs on Iran recently cost $2.13 billion. What Gavi is seeking is the value of four of those B2 bombers. Surely the world can afford the value of four B2 bombs to save 500 million children.”
He added that the funds requested; about $9 billion; would support essential vaccines across low-income countries and lay the foundation for a healthier, more productive generation.
President Mahama’s presence at the summit reflects his long-standing role as a Gavi ambassador and advocate. His support dates back to 2013 when he first championed vaccine access as part of the Alliance’s mission to save children’s lives and protect global health.
The summit, co-hosted by the European Union, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Gavi, aims to mobilize political and financial backing for the Alliance’s next five-year phase, which is projected to deliver over $100 billion in economic benefits globally.
While in Brussels, President Mahama held several key bilateral meetings. He met with the Gavi Board Chair, José Manuel Barroso, who expressed gratitude for Mahama’s continued advocacy and highlighted the Alliance’s anticipation of his influence at the pledging session.
President Mahama also held talks with philanthropist Bill Gates. The two discussed Ghana’s health sector reforms, including the rollout of the Free Primary Healthcare program, the work of the National Vaccine Institute, and the positive impact of uncapping the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIS).
Mahama commended the Gates Foundation for its long-standing support of Ghana and its contributions to Gavi’s global efforts.
Since its creation in 2000, the Gavi Alliance has vaccinated over one billion children, prevented more than 18.8 million deaths, and generated over $250 billion in economic returns for low-income economies.
President Mahama’s strong message at the summit reinforced the urgency of solidarity and bold investment in human lives; calling on the world to choose healing over harm.
“On behalf of the children of Ghana, I say thank you to Gavi. I say thank you to all who have pledged today. Thank you very much. God bless you,” he concluded.
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