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Global COVID-19 Summit: MedAccess’ commitment to vaccine access

by MedAccess

On 24 February 2021, a plane carrying the first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines distributed by the COVAX Facility landed at Kotoka International Airport in Accra. © WHO 2021

MedAccess has reaffirmed its commitment increase access to COVID-19 vaccines via a $100m guarantee for COVAX.

MedAccess’ $100 million guarantee to help the COVAX cost-sharing mechanism accelerate access to vaccines has been highlighted at the second Global COVID-19 Summit.

The Summit, which was co-hosted virtually by Belize, Germany, Indonesia, Senegal and the United States, aimed to keep international focus on the pandemic. Government, business and civil society leaders shared financial and policy commitments to redouble global efforts to tackle COVID-19.

Commitments focused on four priority areas:

  1. Recommitting to intensify the response
  2. Vaccinating the world
  3. Protecting the most vulnerable
  4. Preventing future catastrophes.

Our commitment

In support of the summit, Michael Anderson reaffirmed MedAccess’ commitment to help increase access to COVID-19 vaccine doses in 92 of the lowest-income countries.

Last month, MedAccess announced a $100 million guarantee to accelerate access to COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX cost-sharing mechanism. The guarantee is part of a $200 million risk sharing facility, with the Open Society Foundations, that will help COVAX respond to country demand for additional doses to meet national vaccination targets.

MedAccess provided the guarantee to help countries increase their COVID-19 immunisation rates in line with their national vaccination strategies. The COVAX cost-sharing mechanism enables low- and middle-income countries to choose from a range of vaccine options and contributes towards equitable distribution of doses globally.

The Summit

US President Joe Biden opened the Summit with a call for the world to “double down on our efforts to get shots into people’s arms, country by country, community by community”. The Summit secured $3.2 billion in new commitments over above those already committed in 2022.

Read the White House’s statement on the commitments made at the 2nd Global COVID-19 Summit.

A nurse takes the blood pressure of a pregnant woman. The words 'Access Matters' overlay the image.

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