GLOBAL EFFORTS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO COVID-19 VACCINES

Leading international structures - the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank Group, the World Health Organization and the World Trade Organization are joining forces to accelerate access to vaccines, therapies and diagnostics for COVID-19 through multilateral financial and trade solutions.

The goal of the joint initiative is to vaccinate at least 40% of people in each country by the end of 2021 and at least 60% by mid-2022. It will track and coordinate the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines, therapies and diagnostics in partnership with governments and partners at global and local levels.

An expert task force will track funding gaps for vaccine, diagnosis and treatment, providing recommendations to address them. This, in turn, will help member organizations mobilize critical funding, including grants and concessional lending. The group also supports the importance of increasing production and supplying COVID-19 vaccines by removing barriers to export and import. Thus, a coalition will be formed to invest and build productive capacities, which will highlight supply chain issues. Experts are also calling for at least 1 billion doses of vaccine to be provided to developing countries during 2021.

Finally, the group will share data on country readiness, requests, contracts and vaccine supplies.

Aydzhakhan Ataballyeva

Global Efforts to Increase Access to COVID-19 Vaccines (turkmenistan.gov.tm)