In this video, Professor Hans Rosling, Professor of International Health at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, delivers a compelling story of how vaccines have helped to transform child health in some of the world’s poorest countries.
Rolsing, who has given some of the most memorable TED talks on demographics and global health, was speaking at an event hosted by the GAVI Alliance – a partnership between governments, philanthropists and businesses dedicated to bringing vaccines to those most in need.
“This is probably where international development funding is best used,” says Rosling, before taking you on a journey from a time – just 50 years ago – when one in three children in some African countries died before reaching adulthood.
This trend, he explains, is being changed by well-targeted investments in health, particularly in vaccines. With children much more likely to thrive, families tend to have fewer children and have more time and resources to invest in education, nutrition and their wider communities.
Interestingly, Rosling also explains how little people in Europe know about the success of global health initiatives.
Do you know how many children die before reaching the age of 5?
The answer is surprising. Click to find out
Find out more about GAVI’s Mid-Term Review meeting http://www.gavialliance.org/library/events/mtr/