Published 19:25 IST, August 28th 2020
WHO relaxes terms for wealthier nations to join global COVAX vaccine facility
WHO is offering wealthier countries a new option to ‘pick and choose’ which shots they get while reserving their full share of COVID-19 vaccine doses.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is reportedly offering wealthier countries a new option to ‘pick and choose’ which shots they get while reserving their full share of COVID-19 vaccine doses. According to reports, the change is aimed at convincing government which have negotiated their own bilateral deals securing experimental vaccines to also sign up for the global COVAX facility by August 31.
A Western diplomat reportedly said that the UN agency is trying to be more flexible for the self-financing countries to make it more interesting. The diplomat added that there are some advantages to incentivise the wealthier countries to pay upfront.
The new changes come after the United States, Japan, Britain and the European Union struck their own deals to secure millions of COVID-19 vaccine doses for their citizens. While the aforementioned countries ignored WHO’s warnings that ‘vaccine nationalism’ will squeeze supplies, the UN agency’s latest offer is an effort to unite the world behind its vaccine. WHO has been struggling to get wealthier countries on board beyond pledges of funding and warn words about donating surplus vaccines.
According to reports, the latest plan, which has been circulated to its 194 members in the last days, promises to ‘negotiate’ the best possible pricing from manufacturers and to establish a marketplace for trading or selling doses. The deadline for confirming commitments is reportedly September 18, with upfront payment due by October 9.
172 counties engaged with COVAX vaccine plan
Meanwhile, earlier this month, WHO informed that at least 172 countries are engaging with the COVAX plan that is aimed at providing equitable access to the COVID-19 vaccine to countries without discrimination. WHO said that nations now needed unanimous commitment towards the cooperation for crucial new funding needed for the COVID-19 vaccine.
The UN agency urged member states to join the vaccine arm of the Act-Accelerator, adding that the nations worldwide are associating with COVAX Global Vaccines Facility, one of the most diverse COVID-19 vaccine portfolios in the world. WHO's director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus even informed that there were at least nine vaccines currently reviewed and optimized under this plan, however, discussions were ongoing for four more producers.
Updated 19:25 IST, August 28th 2020