![]() Secondly, with major players such as the US and Russia refusing to join COVAX, it will be difficult to reach the $5 billion needed to achieve COVAX’s aim. This will take away from the manufacturing capacity of companies in the COVAX Facility’s portfolio. Firstly, some member countries have signed individual, parallel contracts with private companies to secure vaccine supplies. However, there are various challenges that present an obstacle to the successful implementation of its mission. To achieve this mission, COVAX will need to raise an additional $5 billion to complement the $2 billion raised so far.ĬOVAX is the first initiative of its kind that provides a mechanism for equitable distribution of these vaccines even before their discovery. ![]() COVAX aspires to ensure the 94 fully self-financing countries, as well as the 92 countries that need assistance, will receive a vaccine supply that will cover 20 percent of their populations, reaching two billion doses by the end of 2021. Its goal is to provide a safety net for the 186 member countries by supporting the production of vaccines and ensuring an equitable distribution after its discovery.ĬOVAX has two major parts – the COVAX Facility, which serves as a purchasing pool for high income countries, and the Advance Market Commitment, which is a fundraising initiative for LMICs. The COVAX initiative, co-led by GAVI – the Vaccine Alliance, the WHO, and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, could be the world’s response to this urgent need for international solidarity if it is applied with ethics and equity. As WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom emphasised, “supply nationalism exacerbated the pandemic and contributed to the total failure of the global supply chain.” It is not clear whether statements committing to global equity are genuine, or if they will be adhered to after the discovery of a viable vaccine. This contradictory statement creates confusion as to the motive of Germany, and more broadly, the Western world, when it comes to COVID-19 vaccine distribution. Germany made this move despite Chancellor Angela Merkel’s statement that the vaccine must be available for all countries. The same day that biotechnology company CureVac was planning an Initial Public Offering in New York, Berlin said it would buy 23 percent of its shares. Biotechnology companies in Germany were discouraged from accepting foreign investment to ensure that the production of the vaccine happened on German soil. This nationalistic move also compromises the purported liberty of private companies, an ideal the Western world prides itself on. ![]() This act of piracy diverts resources away from countries that need them and defies existing laws. Early in April, the US confiscated 200,000 masks ordered by the Berlin police force in Bangkok, Thailand, and redirected them to the US. In an attempt to save their populations first, countries are competing towards the finish line, with some unethically putting other nations at risk. Nationalism and protectionism have reared their heads again during this pandemic. This example is instructive of what we should expect if the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines is not managed equitably. The virus was eliminated last in Africa – only in 1977, 25 years after its elimination in North America. Even when the World Health Organization (WHO) initiated a plan to eradicate smallpox in 1959, the dearth of financial resources and health professionals prevented an effective response in the global South. However, historically, the pursuit of life-saving public health interventions has disregarded vulnerable populations globally, especially those in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).Įven the successful distribution of the smallpox vaccine prioritised the global North, with the virus first eliminated in North America and Europe in 19, respectively. We know that the solution can only be a vaccine. If successful, this initiative will reinforce the importance of international cohesion, pushing the world forward into a new era of global solidarity.Įleven months after the first reported case of COVID-19, the world is still scrambling to find a solution that brings an end to this crisis. With multiple COVID-19 vaccines in development, the role of the COVAX initiative is ensuring fair, global distribution.
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