Government confirms continued funding for pneumonia (09 Jul 2010)

The new Coalition Government has confirmed that they will be continuing the previous Government's commitments to fund pneumonia and pneumococcal disease interventions in the developing world.

The Government has also stated that it supports the World Health Assembly's pneumonia resolution. Both of these statements of support were made in response to a question from APPG Co-Chair Lord Avebury to Earl Howe, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health in the House of Lords.

Lord Avebury said it was important that the new Government made clear its commitment to fight childhood pneumonia in the developing world, as soon as possible.

"This statement from Earl Howe is especially important. Obviously the Government has stated that it will continue to move towards the 0.7% of GNP aid target which is very commendable. However projects and priorities will naturally change with a new Government and it was important that it made it clear that pneumonia was still one of the key issues the Government wanted to address."

"This is good news for the Group and good news for children in the developing world as the UK will continue to lead the way in the fight against childhood pneumonia."

Below is the full text of Lord Avebury's question and the corresponding answer.

Asked by Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they will take to promote the objectives in the recent World Health Assembly resolution on global action against child pneumonia.[HL172]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe): The resolution advocates a range of measures to help prevent and treat pneumonia more effectively, including strengthening of health systems, a multisectoral approach and implementation of the global action plan for the prevention and control of pneumonia.

The United Kingdom is playing a key role in taking forward the advance market commitment on pneumococcal vaccine, providing $485 million out of the $1.5-billion donor commitment, which could save up to 7 million lives by 2030. In addition, the UK has a £1.3 billion commitment to the International Finance Facility for Immunisation, to be spent through the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI).

The UK will continue to support the work of World Health Organisation, GAVI, and developing countries in support of the objectives in the resolution.