Billionaire philanthropist and Microsoft founder Bill Gates had some encouraging words for the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos today.
Gates — who was speaking on the New Era for Global Health panel today — said that he’s feeling confident about his fight to improve the world’s health.
He said:
It’s not easy to get the aid funding we need, but overall, since 2000 when Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance was announced, then Global Fund showed up a few years later, aid levels focused on health went up dramatically in that period.
In 1960, 20 percent of all children died before the age of five; today, if you omit the war zones, there is nowhere with a 20 percent mortality rate.
Gates was joined on the panel by Arif Masood Naqvi, founder and CEO of the Abraaj Group, World Health Organisation director general Tedros Adhanom, author and surgeon Atul Gawande and Access to Medicine executive director Jayasree Iyer.
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By GlobalDataEarlier this month Gates — who is the second-richest person in the world — told private sector companies that he needs their help to solve pressing issues in global health.
Drug makers stand to benefit financially from joining the combined efforts, Gates said at the JP Morgan Healthcare conference.
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has been working to fight HIV, malaria, tuberculosis and reduce the infant mortality rate around the world and Gates now expects advancements in immunotherapy and genetics could help solve some problems in the developing world.
Gates also spoke at the WEF today about artificial intelligence, warning that it will take over a lot of jobs but that it will ultimately be a good thing.
In an interview with Fox Business, Gates said that robots taking over our jobs will make us more efficient, and lead to more free time.
He said:
Well, certainly we can look forward to the idea that vacations will be longer at some point. If we can actually produce twice as much as we make today with less labor, the purpose of humanity is not just to sit behind a counter and sell things, you know?
Meanwhile, Gates entertained Davos attendees by tweeting a video of him warming up for his tennis match with sporting star Roger Federer last year.
Playing tennis with @rogerfederer was one of my favorite parts of 2017. I can’t wait to team up with him again on March 5th for the next Match for Africa with @JackSock and @SavannahGuthrie: https://t.co/KwldVqExzN pic.twitter.com/HGqixVCeun
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) January 25, 2018