The international organization IVI works to develop and distribute vaccines, with a particular focus on infections that affect people living in poverty.
The 50 million is included in the government's development aid budget and the money will go towards, among other things, vaccine doses in low- and middle-income countries, according to Minister of Development Aid and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa (M).
"This is money that goes straight into the field and will literally save lives," he says.
The government has decided to provide the support in light of the great global need for vaccines, but the issue is prioritized for several reasons, according to Dousa.
"We know that vaccines are one of the most cost-effective ways to help people in need, and we have seen that the United States has been quite aggressive in cutting vaccine research and vaccine programs in poor countries," he says.
According to Dousa, it is “impossible for Sweden to cover all the holes that have arisen” with the US withdrawal. However, the government hopes to motivate other countries to make similar efforts and wants to show that Sweden is a force to be reckoned with.
"We hope this is a clear signal that as the United States pulls back from vaccine research, there are many countries that still believe in research and in vaccines."
