G7 Countries Support WHO-led International Campaign

Developing a vaccine against COVID-19 with global equitable access is the most pressing challenge of our time to mitigate the public health and economic impact of the pandemic. COVAX is co-led by Gavi, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and WHO aims to accelerate the development and manufacture of COVID-19 vaccines and guarantee fair and equitable access for every country in the world.

Leaders of G7 countries at their summit agreed to support COVAX by sharing at least 870 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines directly and half of which are to be delivered by the end of 2021.

"Many other countries are now facing a surge in cases -- and they are facing it without vaccines. We are in the race of our lives, but it's not a fair race, and most countries have barely left the starting line," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

COVAX facing an urgent supply gap will work with the G7 and other countries that have stepped up to share doses as rapidly and equitably as possible, to address short-term supply constraints and minimize the prospect of future deadly variants.

The G7 countries provided one billion doses since the February 2021 virtual G7 Early Leaders' Summit, including pledges made at the G20 Global Health Summit and the Gavi COVAX Summit.

“This is an historic moment - as leaders of some of the wealthiest counties come together to ensure that all parts of the world have access to life saving vaccines,” Dr Richard Hatchett, CEO of CEPI (the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations).

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This is a milestone in political alignment and collaboration to end the acute phase of the pandemic is showing us that we cannot set national against international interests.

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Source-Medindia