Most global population join COVAX Facility for access to vaccine: WHO
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Monday a complete of 156 economies representing practically two-thirds of the world's population have joined the COVAX Facility, reports Xinhua.
COVAX facility is an international initiative co-led by WHO and its own partners International Vaccine Alliance Gavi and COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) to make sure equitable global usage of COVID-19 vaccines.
"…156 economies, representing roughly 64 percent of the global population altogether, are now either focused on or qualified to receive the COVAX Facility, with more to follow," the WHO said in a statement.
This consists of 64 higher-income economies, which are self-financing in procuring COVID-19 vaccines once available, and 92 low- and middle-income economies eligible for support for the procurement of vaccines through the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) coordinated by the Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, a financing instrument aimed at supporting the procurement of vaccines for these countries.
COVID-19 is an “unprecedented global crisis that demands an unprecedented global response, he said.
The WHO chief also unveiled a plan to have two billion doses of coronavirus vaccine available by the finish of 2021, reports the UN News.
Working together through the COVAX Facility “isn't charity, it’s atlanta divorce attorneys country’s best interest. We sink or we swim together,” said Tedros.
‘Vaccine nationalism’ will prolong pandemic
The WHO chief said commitment agreements have already been secured and the COVAX Facility would commence signing contracts with vaccine manufacturers and developers.
The overarching goal of the COVAX Facility is to ensure that all countries have access to vaccines as well, and that priority is directed at those most at risk, according to the WHO chief.
“The COVAX Facility will help bring the pandemic under control, “save lives, accelerate the financial recovery and make certain that the race for vaccines is a shared endeavour, not a contest that only the rich can win”, he upheld. “Vaccine nationalism will only perpetuate the condition and prolong the global recovery”.
More commitment needed
Up to now, $3 billion have been invested in the ACT Accelerator - only a tenth of the required $35 for scale-up and impact.
Tedros stressed that $5 billion is necessary “immediately to keep up momentum and stick to track for our ambitious timelines”.
“Our challenge now is to take the tremendous promise of the ACT Accelerator and COVAX to scale”, he said, adding, “We are in a critical point and we desire a significant upsurge in countries’ political and financial commitment.”
The WHO chief cited estimates suggesting that once an efficient vaccine has been distributed, and international travel and trade is fully restored, “The monetary gains will far outweigh” the $38 billion investment required for the Accelerator.
“This isn’t the ideal move to make, it’s the smart thing to do”, he spelled out.
COVAX realised
“COVAX is now running a business”, said Gavi CEO Seth Berkley. “Governments from every continent have chosen to work together, not merely to secure vaccines because of their own populations, but also to greatly help ensure that vaccines can be found to the most vulnerable everywhere”.
‘Great leap’ forward
Meanwhile, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) CEO Richard Hatchett called the international community’s coming together to tackle the pandemic “a landmark moment in the history of public health”.
“The global spread of COVID-19 signifies that it is only through equitable and simultaneous access to new lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines that people can hope to end this pandemic,” he said.
“Countries coming together in this manner shows a unity of purpose and resolve to get rid of the acute phase of the pandemic. Today, we've taken an excellent leap towards that goal, for the benefit for all”.
Global Coronavirus Situation
The confirmed COVID-19 cases have exceeded 31.1 million globally by Tuesday morning, according to data of John Hopkins University.
Besides, over 962,000 deaths have been recorded globally.
