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This article is presented to you in association with the European Commission.
Today, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus launched and co-sponsored the first meeting of the High-Level Facilitation Council, leading the work of the global collaboration framework Access to the COVID-19 Tool Accelerator (the ACT-A) to accelerate the development and deployment of COVID-19 vaccines, tests and treatments, as well as to improve health systems.
The objectives of the first Council meeting were to align the ACT-Accelerator plan as a key global solution to end the crisis and restore health systems and global growth, match the economic rationale and investment case to finance fully ACT-Accelerator, and mobilize political leadership and international support for an equitable global allocation.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said: “Today’s launch of the Facilitation Council brings us closer to our global goal: access to coronavirus vaccines, tests and treatments for all who need them, anywhere. The EU will use all its convening power to help hold the world together against the coronavirus. With the presidency of Norway and South Africa representing the global North and South, and the experience of WHO and our international partners, no country or region will be left behind in this fight.“
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO, said: “Almost 5,000 lives are lost every day due to COVID-19 and the global economy is expected to contract by trillions of dollars this year. The case for investing to end the pandemic has never been stronger. ACT Accelerator is the best way to ensure equitable access to vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics, but it currently faces a $ 35 billion funding gap. Fully funded ACT Accelerator would shorten the pandemic and return this investment quickly as the global economy recovers.. “
Stella Kyriakides, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, said: “The only way to defeat COVID-19 is together, globally. The only way forward is solidarity, responsibility and global cooperation. Today, we intensify our global leadership to accelerate the development and equitable distribution of vaccines, therapies and diagnostics. The Facilitation Council will play a key role in meeting this objective.“
During its first meeting, the Council adopted a political statement highlighting global collaboration as key to defeating the virus. It highlights the importance of testing, treatment, vaccination, and improving health systems to overcome the pandemic. The statement also mentions the progress made and calls for additional resources to fulfill the mission.
The Facilitation Council is made up of governments and non-governmental partners (BMGF, Wellcome Trust). It is co-chaired by Norway and South Africa, achieving a geographical balance. The Council builds on what ACT-A has accomplished in just four months, such as more than 200 vaccine candidates, 1,700 clinical trials and 80 follow-up diagnoses, as well as 100 countries surveyed to identify capacity gaps.
Next steps
Final comments on the investment case and ACT-A Plan will be received on September 17 and then the ACT-A high-level event at the AGNU will take place on September 30.
Between September 15 and 30, there will be meetings of the UNGA and the G20 and this will act to broaden the call to world leaders. Between October 12 and 18, annual meetings of the World Bank and the IMF will be held to explore the scale of the economic challenge and initial commitments. From November to March 2021, the G20 Summit and other related meetings will react on the series of commitments.
Ultimately, the ACT-A advocacy campaign aims to address major political challenges and secure funding needs of more than € 29 billion (US $ 35 billion).
Background
Launched in late April 2020, the COVID-19 Tool Access Accelerator (ACT) brings together governments, scientists, businesses, civil society, and global health philanthropists and organizations (the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, CEPI, FIND, Gavi, The Global Fund, Unitaid, Wellcome, WHO, World Bank, and the Global Financing Facility). It is intended to accelerate the development of vaccines, therapeutics and diagnosisand improving the necessary health systems. Knowledge and data sharing are key. The ACT will be valid for 2 years (renewable). A new physical structure will not be established, but the experience of existing institutions and partners will be used.
Three associations on vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics define the strategy, identify the necessary resources and establish the rules of responsibility. They bring together industry, research, foundations, regulators and international organizations, following a value chain approach, from research to manufacturing to deployment. These associations function in the most autonomous way possible and are supported by a group of governmental and private non-profit partners.
ACT-A’s goal is to protect health systems and restore societies and economies by accelerating development, equitable allocation, and increased delivery of 2 billion doses of vaccines by the end of 2021, 245 million therapeutic treatments by mid-2021 and 500 million tests. in mid-2021.
The European Commission is committed to a global solution to the pandemic. For this reason, it has raised almost 16,000 million euros since May 4, 2020 in the framework of the Global Response to Coronavirus, the global action for universal access to tests, treatments and vaccines against the coronavirus and for global recovery.
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