$16bn funding gap stalls COVID-19 global response, says WHO

Doosuur Iwambe, Abuja

At least $15.1 billion is required to close the funding gap of more than $16 billion of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT-Accelerator) partnership, the World Health Organisation (WHO), has said.

Speaking during the just concluded G7 summit in the United Kingdom, the WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus noted that many countries are now facing a surge in new cases without vaccines, even as he commended the G7 countries for their commitment to sharing at least 870 million doses of vaccines.

He said, “ACT-Accelerator is a proven and operational global collaboration to accelerate the development, production and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines.”

While calling for more support to close the funding gap in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, Dr Ghebreyesus said that many other countries are now facing an increase in the number of vaccine-free cases.

“ACT-Accelerator need funds to strengthen health systems and protect health workers administering the necessary tools.

“He needs funds to test, detect and contain hot spots, as well as to identify new variants that will continue to appear; and treatments to save the lives of those who will continue to catch and suffer from COVID-19.

“There is an urgent need for treatments like oxygen, which is seeing an increase in demand five times – and in cases like India, 10 times – more than needed before the pandemic.

“The funding needed for the ACT-Accelerator will address the challenges of getting products to where they are needed most, helping establish testing for 500 million people in low- and middle-income countries of by mid-2021.

“Funds are also needed to help secure the necessary oxygen supply as well as distribute 165 million doses of treatment, including dexamethasone which can save the lives of people seriously ill with COVID,” he added.

Meanwhile, the G7 has committed one billion doses since the February 2021 virtual G7 Early Leaders’ Summit, including pledges made at the G20 Global Health Summit.

In a landmark agreement at the Summit, held in Cornwall, the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, global leaders pledged to share COVID-19 vaccine doses internationally, in support of global equitable access and to help end the acute phase of the pandemic.

Building on the momentum of the G20 Global Health Summit , G7 countries committed to sharing at least 870 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines directly, with the aim to deliver at least half by the end of 2021, and reaffirmed their support for COVAX as “the primary route for providing vaccines to the poorest countries.”

“This is an important moment of global solidarity and a critical milestone in the push to ensure those most at risk, everywhere are protected,” said Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi).

The CEO of CEPI, Dr Richard Hatchett described it as a historic moment adding that the pandemic has shown there was no need to set national against international interests.

“There is still much to do to get vaccines in arms and ensure our R&D allows us to stay one step ahead of the virus. But for today we give pause and celebrate a watershed moment of political alignment and collaboration.”

Henrietta Fore, Executive Director of UNICEF, said without urgent action, the devastation would continue.

“Equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines represents the clearest pathway out of this pandemic for all of us — children included. UNICEF thanks G7 member states for their significant pledges and continued support.

However, much work remains to continue to ramp up both the amount and the pace of supply to the rest of the world, because when it comes to ending the COVID-19 pandemic, our best interests and our best natures align. This crisis will not be over until it is over for everyone.”

Meanwhile, the Federal Government disclosed on Tuesday that it has received confirmation that about 3.92 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines will arrive Nigeria by the end of July or early August.

Speaking while addressing journalists in Abuja, the Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) Faisal Shuaib, noted that the vaccines will be delivered through the COVAX facility.

Giving a detailed update on the COVID-19 vaccine exercise, Shuaib said, “We now have information that Nigeria will get 3.92m doses of Oxford/Astrazeneca by end of July or early August.

“As we receive additional information on the exact dates in August, we will provide an update regarding timelines and details of this.

“The last time I spoke we were not certain about when the next batch of vaccines will be coming, but we have received official communication that Nigeria will get 3.92m doses of Oxford/AstraZeneca by end of July or early August.

‘’COVAX will only communicate when the vaccines are secured and our partners have validated that the vaccines have been secured.”

Shuaib also disclosed that recent research from Public Health England (PHE) shows that the Indian (Delta) variant B.1.617.2 is 92% susceptible to Oxford/AstraZeneca.

“It is therefore comforting to know that the vaccine used in Nigeria can protect against this variant that caused high morbidity and mortality in India. However, it underscores the need for us to ramp up our vaccination to more Nigerians.

“As you all are aware, hesitancy towards the second dose is very tied to the continued misinformation and disinformation about COVID-19 and the vaccination program globally and locally.

“This is especially prevalent on social media. While I commend the patriotism of a multitude of our social media influencers, I must say that I profoundly appreciate the contributions our professional media community has been making towards the progress of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign in Nigeria.

“Nevertheless, the challenge is upon us to go beyond straight news and do more in educating Nigerians through interpretative stories, promotional exclusives, features and special broadcast programs on the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination.

“It is important to emphasise the need to be fully protected with the second dose, and the socio-economic and health risks of refusing to be vaccinated.”

Shuaib further reiterated on the recent concluded G7 summit as the World leaders addressed the issue of vaccine inequities supply particularly for developing countries to get the vaccine.

“While we are working with our international partners to confirm the next shipment of vaccines to Nigeria, I wish to speak about the G7 summit that occurred over the weekend.

“The topic of global inequities in the vaccine supply was a significant focus of the G7 meeting.

“Rightfully so. Leaders of major, rich countries are becoming increasingly aligned with the thinking that the inequities cannot continue, not only because it is a moral failure but because it is strategically unwise for their own efforts to end the COVID-19 pandemic.

“On the final day of the summit, leaders committed to delivering at least 1 billion coronavirus vaccine doses to the world over the next year.

“While this will not close the enormous gap that exists today, it is a positive step and we welcome the new focus.

“Additionally, President Biden announced on the eve of the summit that the US will purchase 500 million doses of the Pfizer-bioNTech vaccine and donate them to low- and middle-income countries through the next year.

“This pledge is by far the largest yet by one country. These doses will be distributed via Covax.

We welcome this announcement and encourage other nations with the means to follow the US’ example so that we, as a global community, can move forward from COVID-19 swiftly’’.