The Gates Foundation has committed US$1.6 billion over five years to support Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, in a bid to prevent rising child mortality rates due to cuts in foreign aid.

• Bill Gates warns that, for the first time in decades, global child deaths may increase this year.
• The renewed funding supports Gavi's mission, which has vaccinated over 1.1 billion children and prevented nearly 19 million deaths since its inception.
• Despite progress, one in five children still lack access to essential vaccines, with outbreaks of preventable diseases threatening gains.

Kenya has approved a new cherry-flavoured malaria drug tailored for infants and young children, a global first that addresses a critical treatment gap.

• Coartem Baby is specifically designed for infants under 4.5 kilograms, a category that previously had no approved treatment for malaria.
• The drug, developed by Novartis, dissolves easily in breast milk and is more palatable for young patients.
• This development is part of a fast-tracked approval process involving eight African countries, including Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, and Tanzania, targeting thousands of vulnerable children in malaria-endemic areas.