|
The
WHO and GAVI vaccine alliance aim to provide poor and
middle-income countries with diagnostic tests, drugs and
vaccines through a fund known as the Access to COVID-19 Tools
(ACT) Accelerator, which was set up last April.
Bruce Aylward, a senior WHO adviser and its ACT coordinator,
said that new financing mechanisms - including concessional
loans and catastrophe bonds - were discussed at a meeting of the
ACT facilitation council on Monday, co-chaired by Norway and
South Africa.
"Right now financing is what stands between us and getting out
of this pandemic as rapidly as possible," he told a U.N.
briefing in Geneva.
"It's a real challenge in today's fiscal environment despite the
fact that this is the best deal in town," Aylward said,
referring to the ACT Accelerator facility. "This will pay itself
off in 36 hours once we get trade and travel moving again."
Aylward said that the WHO and partners were in talks with Pfizer
to include its COVID-19 vaccine as part of an early global roll
out.
He said that he saw a "strong commitment" on the part of Pfizer
CEO Albert Bourla to set prices at levels appropriate to poorer
populations. Aylward expected some news on more manufacturers
joining the list of providers to the COVAX vaccine facility in
coming weeks, he said.
Canada has pledged to spend C$485 million ($380 million) to
support COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines in low- and
middle-income countries, including antibody treatments,
International Aid Minister Karina Gould said on Monday.
(Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay and Emma Farge. Editing by Jane
Merriman)
[© 2020 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2020 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
|
|
