Not to put it all on the man’s shoulders, but the fact that 10 billion US dollars does not even reach what the world needs for proper vaccine research and distribution shows how much behind our society is in keeping up with the health needs of the world.
Bill Gates, for those unfamiliar (living a under a rock much?) is the founder of Microsoft and the brains behind the creation of the Windows operating system for computers. In his time as a developer and head of Microsoft, Bill Gates became one of the most successful, and inevitably, richest men on the planet.
In an act that can only be described as absolutely selfless, Gates and his wife have pledged a total of 10 Billion to research and distribution of vaccines to children all over the world. According to the World Health Organization, the contribution goes a long way into reaching the much delayed goals of the WHO but in the very end it is still a small step compared to the distance our society must stretch.
Of course, the most interesting about this bit of news is the reaction of people regarding the generous donation.
No matter how one looks at it, a charitable donation is a charitable donation. It will fund a cause and will benefit many people all over the world. If the research projections are correct, millions of lives will be saved thanks to better, more efficient and better distributed vaccines.
Still, many people find it hard to accept the kind act for what it is. Many are claiming foul for Gate’s ill-begotten wealth for “over priced” software. Others are claiming that the act would cause even more problems due to over population.
For more about Bill Gate’s charitable donation and the Gates Foundation, go to Times Online UK.
Tags: Bill-Gates