Global production, storage and distribution of COVID vaccines is difficult and expensive

Infectious diseases do not respect borders..

Estimated 3 billion people in low-income countries In Africa, Asia and Latin America, the COVID-19 vaccine may be inaccessible for years after it became available.In poor countries, many communities Health care workers The ability to properly process the vaccine, which is necessary to administer the vaccine Keep them very cold..

As Bioethicist studying global access to essential medicines, Which wealthy country, foundation, and International organization I’m working on this issue.

COVAX

COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility (COVAX) 184 countries We will work with international organizations to provide affordable access to people around the world when the COVID-19 vaccine becomes available.

So far, COVAX is about $ 1.8 billion towards the initial goal of $ 2 billion To cover the cost of manufacturing and distributing the COVID-19 vaccine worldwide.

The goal of this initiative is 2 billion doses by the end of 2021..But many of the rich countries that participate Hit your deal Apart from COVAX, we guarantee early access to the vaccine.

these”Vaccine nationalism“It may undermine other attempts to equitably distribute COVAX and new COVID-19 vaccines and treatments.

Some large industrialized countries — United States and Russia – We have chosen to completely disagree. Instead, they have their own arrangements with pharmaceutical companies.

UNICEF

Distributing COVID-19 vaccines turns out to be as difficult or even more difficult than figuring out the money to pay for them.

This is because the most promising vaccines require constant, very cold storage. There are simply not enough medical facilities with the necessary refrigeration capacity, especially in areas where access to electricity is unreliable or completely lost.

Almost 3 billion people worldwide I live in a location that lacks the temperature-controlled storage required for large-scale vaccination campaigns. How terrible this problem is depends on which vaccine is finally approved. Vaccines in clinical trials Need to be stored at the same time Cold temperature..

further, Not enough medical staff It is very difficult for many people in poor areas to go to the clinic to get the vaccine.

The United Nations Children’s Fund, a United Nations agency that provides assistance to children around the world, is part of the COVAX initiative. Vaccine distribution plan.. UNICEF has previously worked with a public-private partnership called GAVI. Global Alliance for Vaccines and VaccinationsProfessional in developing countries in the past Freezing technology needed to keep vaccines ice-cold..

in addition, UNICEF is aiming for stockpiling 520 million syringes by the end of 2020, up to 1 billion syringes by 2021, 5 million safe disposal boxes.

We are preparing a COVID-19 vaccine with enough syringes to orbit the world 1.5 times.#VaccinesWork pic.twitter.com/7HCYuIzsQV

-UNICEF (@UNICEF) October 30, 2020

International organizations and foundations

Some other international organizations also People in low-income countries COVID-19 vaccines and treatments will also be available.

As of October 2020 World Bank planned to provide US $ 12 billion Fund the acquisition and deployment of vaccines in low- and middle-income countries such as India and Nigeria.

Other regional development banks also play an important role, as COVAX cannot provide sufficient vaccines to everyone in the world. For example, in sub-Saharan Africa 28% of healthcare facilities have reliable electricityAs a result, the African Export-Import Bank has a $ 3 million grant to help the community procure equipment and supplies.In addition, the bank Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention About allocation $ 5 billion Purchase the COVID-19 vaccine.

And the Global Fund has allocated $ 665 million out of the estimated $ 20 billion needed to vaccinate everyone in the world.their COVID-19 response mechanism Improve the distribution of vaccines and the supply chain of the overall healthcare system.

We are also stepping up to support other organizations with extensive experience in vaccination campaigns.

For example World Polio Eradication Initiative We provide trained staff to monitor polio Test COVID-19 wastewaterDistribute masks and hand sanitizers and perform contact tracing. This polio group may also be useful as vaccines become available.

Foundations, especially the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, also play a role.

Gates Foundation is GAVI and Indian Serum Research Institute To speed up COVID-19 vaccine production..

Vaccines are sold below $ 3 each time To 92 low and middle income countries including Brazil, Chile, Singapore and South Africa.

In 1999, the Gates Foundation pledged $ 750 million To launch GAVI, and it has given the organization $ 4 billion so far.so 2020 Global Vaccine SummitThe Gates Foundation, a virtual conference hosted by the United Kingdom, has promised to spend $ 1.6 billion to vaccinate 300 million children Once the vaccine is available, for several diseases, including COVID-19.

The Gates Foundation also participates in collaborative efforts with the World Health Organization and several other international organizations. Pay for 100 million antigen rapid diagnostic test It will be available in low and middle income countries and will cost less than $ 5.

Similarly, many other philanthropic activities are underway in collaboration with companies and international organizations.

Wellcome TrustFor example, through a partnership between the Gates Foundation and Mastercard Funding COVID-19 Therapeutic Accelerator Research partnership to develop new COVID-19 treatment And test..

In my view, these efforts are as important as the efforts to develop, manufacture and distribute new vaccines.After all, if it’s safe and ineffective vaccine Testing, tracking, personal protective equipment, and treatment continue to be essential to combat pandemics and save the lives of millions of people around the world.

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