Last week, the Gates Foundation announced it would spend more than $200 billion over the next 20 years — including nearly all the personal wealth of chair Bill Gates — and sunset operations in 2045.

The Foundation says its goals are combating maternal and infant mortality, treating infectious diseases and lifting millions out of poverty.

The announcement comes at a time when the U.S. is drastically reducing foreign aid commitments under the Trump administration, and other wealthy nations are also cutting global health funding.

But in an interview with NPR about his decision, Gates said he remains optimistic that new scientific advances create opportunities to save lives.

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