Coronavirus Global Response event raises €7.4 billion for universal access to vaccines
The Coronavirus Global Response pledging event on 4 May raised €7.4 billion for the collaborative development and universal deployment of diagnostics, treatments and vaccines against coronavirus.
The event, organised in response to a call by the WHO to create global collaboration in the development, production and distribution of COVID-19 diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines, was co-convened by a number of world governments, the European Union and the WHO.
This collaboration, the “ACT-Accelerator” will be the primary beneficiary of the funding raised, seeking to create a framework and coordination structure to steer and oversee global progress made in accelerating work on vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics along with providing universal access.
This framework will be built upon the existing structures of a number of organisations including the WHO, the Gates Foundation, the Wellcome Trust, in addition to recognised global health actors such as CEPI, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Global Fund and UNITAID.
The next steps of the response will be the broadening of collaborative efforts to also include civil society, and the global community of citizens.