Canada to donate additional CA$10 mil to CEPI for anti-epidemic efforts

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau affirmed another 10 million Canadian dollars for the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) this week, in an effort to bolster the development of vaccines.

The announcement was made following the recent G20 summit and supports that body’s efforts on global health. It builds on the initial CA$4 million provided after the coalition was founded in 2017. A partnership between public, private, philanthropic and civil organizations, CEPI’s sole mission is to stop future epidemics, and to that end has received funding from Australia, Belgium, Canada, the European Commission, Germany, Japan, Norway, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Wellcome Trust.

“We are delighted and hugely grateful that Canada is further increasing their contribution to our work,” Richard Hatchett, CEO of CEPI, said. “The current outbreak of Ebola in DRC—the largest since 2014—is a timely reminder to the world of the devastation these terrible diseases can cause. It’s only through collective action that we can hope to protect the world from the threat of epidemics and we warmly welcome Canada’s contribution to that effort.”

To date, counties have supported the coalition’s work with more than $630 million.