The Gates Foundation will spend $2.5 billion by 2030 on women’s health

[noumoe]

The Gates Foundation will spend $2.5 billion by 2030 on women’s health, it said on Monday, with founder Bill Gates saying the area, including conditions from preeclampsia to menopause, had been neglected for too long.

The investment is among its first big commitments since Gates announced earlier this year that he would give away his $200bn fortune by 2045. It is around one-third more than the Foundation spent on women’s and maternal health over the last five years.

The work will look at deeply under-researched areas that affect hundreds of millions of women in both high- and low-income countries, from preeclampsia and gestational diabetes to heavy menstrual bleeding, endometriosis, and menopause.

Investment will focus on five key areas: obstetric care and maternal immunization; maternal health and nutrition; gynaecological and menstrual health; contraceptive innovation; and sexually transmitted infection.

The aim is to kickstart research, develop products, and ensure equitable access to them worldwide.