The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has announced a commitment of $2.5 billion over the next 10 years to support dozens of approaches to improving women’s health, from new medicines to vaccines and research into maternal mortality. This pledge represents an increase of about a third in the foundation’s funding for women’s health compared to the previous five years.
The foundation’s chairman and founder, Bill Gates, has stated that pregnancy is under-studied and that conditions like preeclampsia and gestational diabetes are not as well understood in low-income countries. Experts say that this commitment represents a major new source of research funding at a time when US government funding for women’s health research is being cut.
The foundation aims to address the long-running deficit in medicine that has disfavored women’s health, which has traditionally focused on male patients. Only 1% of global research and development funding is allocated to women’s health issues outside of oncology, according to Ru Cheng, the foundation’s director of women’s health initiatives.
The majority of the funds ($2 billion) will go towards research and development, with $100 million set aside for market introduction of new technologies. The remaining 4% will go to manufacturing and advocacy efforts. Some of the projects funded by the foundation include a low-cost plastic drape that can be used during childbirth, an upgraded ultrasound device, and funding for new medicines.
Bill Gates has emphasized the importance of innovation in addressing women’s health issues, stating that the foundation is not trying to replace what the US government has canceled, but rather supplementing it. He also aims to get governments, pharmaceutical companies, and scientists to care about inequities in women’s health as well.
The commitment reflects the Gates Foundation’s long-standing focus on women’s health, which dates back to 1999 when Bill and Melinda Gates made a gift to start an institute of population and reproductive health. The foundation has already played a role in developing new vaccines, such as one for meningitis, and has gotten relatively low-cost interventions like vaccines to children in countries that could not afford them.
However, some experts have expressed concerns that more can be achieved by focusing on existing solutions rather than investing in high-tech approaches. They argue that addressing basic needs like access to healthcare, education, and nutrition security is crucial for reducing maternal mortality.
Source: https://www.statnews.com/2025/08/04/bill-gates-foundation-womens-maternal-health-funding-announcement