Ireland “reaffirmed its commitment to children in the developing world” in announcing a further €1 million in funding to the GAVI Alliance to “support GAVI’s efforts to increase and sustain vaccination rates in the world’s poorest countries against major diseases such as diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, Haemophilus influenzae type B, hepatitis B and yellow fever.” Peter Power, Ireland’s Minister for Overseas Development, commented,

“Children in developing countries are 10 times more likely to die from a vaccine-preventable disease than they are in wealthier nations. In 2008 alone, almost nine million children died before their fifth birthday, nearly a quarter of whom succumbed to vaccine-preventable illnesses. GAVI’s effective and strategic programme of support to the world’s poorest countries is playing a key role in stemming these unconscionable losses.” http://www.gavialliance.org/media_centre/press_releases/2010_01_11_ireland_donation.php