Gates Foundation report urges targeted health spending to combat child malnutrition and disease

USA – The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s latest annual Goalkeepers report, titled “A Race to Nourish a Warming World,” urges world leaders to ramp up funding for global health, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) that are bearing the brunt of climate change’s impact on children’s health.

With an emphasis on addressing malnutrition, the report highlights that immediate global action is needed to avert the worsening child health crisis.

According to the foundation, climate change could leave an additional 40 million children stunted and 28 million more suffering from wasting by 2050 unless swift interventions are made.

The statistics surrounding child malnutrition are stark. In 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that 148 million children worldwide experienced stunting, hindering their growth potential, while 45 million suffered from wasting, leading to extreme weakness and underweight.

These conditions leave children vulnerable to developmental delays, illness, and death. These figures represent the most severe forms of chronic and acute malnutrition, both of which are deeply intertwined with the global climate crisis.

“The impact of climate change on health and nutrition is catastrophic,” said Bill Gates, co-chair of the Gates Foundation. “Malnutrition is the world’s worst child health crisis, and climate change is exacerbating it.“

Decline in aid to Africa

In the face of rising global challenges, the share of foreign aid directed towards Africa has significantly dropped.

From 40% in 2010, foreign aid to African countries now stands at just 25%, the lowest in two decades. Despite sub-Saharan Africa accounting for over half of all child deaths, aid allocation has dwindled, further jeopardizing children’s health and undermining decades of progress.

“The world is contending with more challenges than at any point in my adult life: inflation, debt, new wars,” Gates added.

“Unfortunately, aid isn’t keeping pace with these needs, particularly in the places that need it the most.”

Three key actions to combat malnutrition

The report stressed three immediate actions to address the ongoing malnutrition crisis:

• Support for the Child Nutrition Fund: A new platform that will coordinate donor financing for nutrition programs.
• Full Funding for Health Institutions: Key organizations like Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria need consistent funding to maintain their work protecting millions of lives annually.
• Increased global health funding: Governments must sustain funding for global health programs and health-focused institutions, despite competing national challenges.

“If we do these three things, we won’t just usher in a new global health boom and save millions of lives—we’ll also prove that humanity can still rise to meet our greatest challenges,” Gates remarked.

The economic cost of malnutrition

Beyond the health impact, malnutrition is causing severe economic losses. According to the World Bank, undernutrition costs the global economy US $3 trillion in productivity losses every year.

For low-income countries, these losses range from 3% to 16% of GDP—an economic burden that perpetuates poverty and leaves countries trapped in a cycle of poor health and stagnated growth.

“The best way to fight the impacts of climate change is by investing in nutrition,” Gates emphasized.

“Malnutrition makes every forward step our species wants to take heavier and harder. But the inverse is also true. If we solve malnutrition, we make it easier to solve every other problem.”

Proven solutions are available

The Goalkeepers report also highlighted proven solutions that can address malnutrition while building resilience against climate change. These solutions include:

• New Agricultural Technologies: Innovations in dairy farming, such as those being used in countries like India, Kenya, and Nigeria, are producing significantly higher yields of milk and safer milk, preventing millions of cases of child stunting by 2050.
• Fortification of Pantry Staples: Efforts to fortify common food items, such as salt and bouillon cubes, with essential nutrients like iodine, folic acid, and iron are showing positive results in countries such as Ethiopia and Nigeria, reducing anemia and preventing birth defects.
• Prenatal Vitamins: High-quality prenatal vitamins for pregnant women have been proven to save lives and improve birth outcomes. The adoption of multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS) could improve health outcomes for millions of women and children in LMICs.

The role of the microbiome in health

In addition to agricultural and nutritional interventions, new research into the microbiome—our gut bacteria—offers exciting possibilities.

A healthy gut can improve nutrient absorption, strengthen the immune system, and contribute to overall better health outcomes for children.

Gates believes that the further exploration of the microbiome could change how malnutrition is treated, both in developing and developed countries.

Voices from the frontlines

The report features first-hand accounts from farmers and experts who are seeing the positive effects of these solutions in their communities.

For example, Sushama Das, a dairy farmer from India, explains how new dairy farming techniques have boosted her family’s income, which has been reinvested into their farm.

Similarly, Coletta Kemboi from Kenya shared how training programs on milk safety have led to higher income and improved education opportunities for her children.

“We are able to pay my three children’s school fees,” Kemboi said.