Monday August 24, 2020 ~ GLOBAL
by Mary P Brooke, B.Sc., editor | Island Social Trends
There are now 172 countries are engaging with the COVAX Global Vaccines Facility which has the largest and most diverse COVID-19 vaccine portfolio in the world.
There are nine COVID-19 vaccines that are part of this dynamic portfolio. The portfolio is constantly being reviewed and optimised to ensure access to the best possible range of products. Discussions are ongoing with four more producers.
A further nine vaccines are currently under evaluation for the longer term, said World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr Tedros as part of this statement in a news announcement today.
Dr Tedros says: “The Facility is the critical mechanism for joint procurement and pooling risk across multiple vaccines so that whatever vaccine is proven to be safe and effective – all countries within the Facility will be able to access them. The mechanism can enable a globally coordinated rollout.”
Equitable access to the vaccines:
“This is in the interests of all countries, even those that have invested with individual manufacturers independently,” the WHO Director-General says.
“We’re working with vaccine manufacturers to provide all countries that join the effort timely and equitable access to all vaccines, licensed and approved. This doesn’t just pool risk, it also means that prices will be kept as low as possible.”
The goal of the mechanism is to deliver at least two billion doses of safe, effective vaccines by the end of 2021, it was stated today in the WHO news release.
WHO says that 80 potentially self-financing countries have submitted non-binding expressions of interest to the Gavi-coordinated COVAX Facility, joining 92 low- and middle-income economies that are eligible to be supported by the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC).
Ongoing role for public health:
“As governments hone their track and trace systems to test, isolate and care for patients, and trace and quarantine their contacts, everyone can play their part,” said Tedros.
