In 2025, the global health landscape is defined by paradox. After years of calls to decolonize the sector — shifting power and resources to the countries most affected by health crises — donor countries are now retreating, driven not by justice but by populist retrenchment.
This contradiction is starkly visible in the evolving role of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and other global health institutions. These shifts have reignited urgent debates about power, sovereignty, and the sustainability of health systems worldwide.
Gavi has long been a model of multilateral cooperation, saving millions of lives through immunization programs across low- and middle-income countries. Its leadership now speaks of a future where countries take full ownership of their health systems — a goal aligned with the principles of decolonization. Yet this moment of transition is happening amid sweeping aid cuts from traditional donors such as the United States, whose recent drastic reduction in funding to global health institutions has sent shock waves.
About the author
Nelson Aghogho Evaborhene
Nelson Aghogho Evaborhene is a global health security expert specializing in governance, regional institutions, and pandemic preparedness. He works to strengthen systems and inform policy through research and strategic advocacy.
