World Health Organization (WHO) officials recently touted the progression of the ACT- Accelerator, noting the initiative has driven progress to accelerate the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The initiative was initiated in April 2020 by the WHO, the European Commission, France, and The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, serving as a partnership of leading public health agencies focused on equity.
The ACT-Accelerator has expedited the development of COVID-19 tests, treatments, vaccines, and health systems while transforming the ability to tackle COVID-19 on a global scale. The accomplishments are not possible if the world cannot ensure equitable distribution of vital tools.
“The ACT-Accelerator has made strong progress,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO, said. “But new viral variants, limited vaccine supply, and underinvestment have resulted in the need to refresh the strategy and budget that chart the roadmap out of the pandemic. As we approach the one-year anniversary of the ACT-Accelerator, we call on all nations to come together in global solidarity.”
The focus has been on the availability of COVID-19 vaccines amid an acknowledgment of acute supply constraints; virus variants emerging with increasingly concerning characteristics; and despite support from governments, regulators, manufacturers, and other stakeholders, there has been insufficient investment in global solutions to scale COVID-19 tools.
“Thanks to the $6 billion committed by its donors to date, the Gavi COVAX Advance Market Commitment has been able to begin protecting at-risk groups in lower-income countries with life-saving COVID-19 vaccines,” Dr. Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, said. “While our work is only just beginning, we can now see the benefits of a multilateral solution to this pandemic. I encourage countries and others to continue to support the ACT Accelerator’s critical mission across all pillars.”