Bill and Melinda Gates call for collaboration, continued innovation to overcome challenges of delivering COVID-19 scientific breakthroughs
Bill and Melinda Gates call for collaboration, continued innovation to overcome challenges of delivering COVID-19 scientific breakthroughs to the world
PR87120
SEATTLE, Dec. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --
-- Gates Foundation pledges additional $250 million to accelerate development and
equitable distribution of COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines to end the pandemic
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation today announced it will commit an
additional $250 million to support the research, development, and equitable
delivery of lifesaving tools in the global effort against COVID-19. Marking the
end of a year focused on the scientific breakthroughs needed to end the
pandemic, the foundation calls for global commitments to making these
innovations available in 2021 to everyone who needs them.
"Everyone, everywhere deserves to benefit from the science developed in 2020,"
said Melinda Gates, co-chair of the Gates Foundation. "We are confident that
the world will get better in 2021, but whether it gets better for everyone
depends on the actions of the world's leaders and their commitment to deliver
tests, treatments, and vaccines to the people who need them, no matter where
they live or how much money they have."
Today's commitment, the foundation's largest single contribution to the
COVID-19 response to date, builds on the partnerships and expertise it has
established over the last 20 years. This funding will support continued
innovation to develop tests, treatments, and vaccines that are easier to scale
and deliver, to ensure there are many options that are less expensive and can
be used in different settings. Today's commitment will also support the
delivery of new COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines, particularly in low-
and middle-income countries.
Getting these innovations to where they are needed will require the same level
of planning, urgency, and collaboration it took to develop them. It will
require manufacturing tests, doses of treatments, and vaccines quickly and
safely; securing sufficient funding to buy and distribute them; organizing
logistical infrastructure and supply chains; preparing clinics and health
workers to administer them; and sharing accurate information with communities
so people understand and trust what they are receiving. Part of today's funding
will enable countries to use cutting-edge technology and delivery systems to
plan and implement the rollout of vaccines. It will also support efforts to
engage communities in the process to increase trust and improve communication
about new COVID-19 interventions.
"Thanks to the ingenuity of the global scientific community, we are achieving
the exciting medical breakthroughs needed to end the pandemic," said Bill
Gates, co-chair of the Gates Foundation. "We have new drugs and more potential
vaccines than we could have expected at the start of the year. But these
innovations will only save lives if they get out into the world."
As the world prepares to embark on a global logistical challenge previously
unmatched in scale and complexity, it can draw on the expertise of global
organizations like Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and the Global Fund, which have
collaborated with governments to deliver vaccines, tests, and treatments
against infectious diseases to people in lower-income countries for 20 years.
"Fortunately, reaching people with lifesaving tools is something the world
knows how to do," said Melinda Gates.
"The next phase of fighting this pandemic will be much costlier than the
initial development of safe and effective vaccines. Our commitment today is
only a fraction of what is needed and will be focused on the areas where
philanthropy can best add value," said Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman. "Every
institution with a role to play has to be generous now. Multilateral organizations, national
governments, companies, and philanthropies--we all must invest in making sure the tests,
drugs, and vaccines reach as many people as possible."
Total COVID-19 commitments to date
Today's announcement brings the foundation's total commitments to the global
COVID-19 response to $1.75 billion. This draws from three sources, including
new funding commitments above the foundation's planned annual program budget;
at-risk financing from the foundation's Strategic Investment Fund; and a
portion of funds channeled from foundation programs where grantees identified
urgent needs or had unique expertise to mitigate the effects of the pandemic.
The total commitments include (https://ww2.gatesfoundation.org/ideas/articles/coronavirus-funding-additional-250-million-suzman ):
Newly allocated funding. The total funding commitment includes more than $680
million in new funds that were approved in light of the growing public health
emergency, above the foundation's planned 2020 giving. Examples include:
- Today's announced $250 million to continue the development of new
COVID-19 vaccines, tests, and drugs and to ensure equitable, timely,
and scaled delivery of these products
- $50.2 million to help slow transmission by supporting global efforts
to design and implement testing, tracing, and other urgent public
health actions
- $47.5 million to strengthen country-specific and regional responses in
sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia and help partners prepare health
systems for rising cases
- $311.7 million to fund the development, production, and procurement
of new diagnostics, treatments, and vaccines for COVID-19, including:
to Gavi's COVID-19 Vaccine Advance Market Commitment (COVAX AMC),
which aims to ensure that COVID-19 vaccines are accessible and
affordable in low- and middle-income countries once they are available
to advance additional candidate vaccines through the Coalition for
Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI)
for the COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator to evaluate existing
drugs that could be repurposed for use during the pandemic and to
scale new treatments for low- and middle-income countries
- $24.9 million to alleviate the broader effects of the pandemic, such
as economic recovery, education, poverty, and gender equality,
including:
to support social service organizations in the greater Seattle area
to provide COVID-19 diagnostic testing infrastructure for up to 10
historically Black colleges and universities
- At-risk financing. The foundation has made available up to $750 million
in volume guarantees, forgivable loans, and other at-risk financing
from its Strategic Investment Fund to enable the rapid procurement
of essential medical supplies and help companies finance the production
of COVID-19 products for low- and middle-income countries, including:
- Up to $300 million in forgivable loans (https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3006336-1&h=477716342&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gavi.org%2Fnews%2Fmedia-room%2Fnew-collaboration-makes-further-100-million-doses-covid-19-vaccine-available-low&a=forgivable+loans )
to support the manufacturing of up to 200 million doses of COVID-19
vaccines for low- and middle-income countries
- Up to $200 million in guarantees to support at-risk manufacturing of
monoclonal antibody treatments for low- and middle-income countries
- Up to $250 million in guarantees to help make affordable diagnostics
available in low- and middle-income countries
The Strategic Investment Fund uses financial tools other than grants to
stimulate private-sector innovation and address market challenges to scaling
new health innovations in low- and middle-income countries. Any financial
returns generated by the Strategic Investment Fund are re-invested in Gates
Foundation philanthropic programs.
Channeled funding. Given the threat that COVID-19 presents to global health and
development, several foundation grantees were uniquely positioned to leverage
existing work and expertise to support the COVID-19 response. The foundation
channeled more than $315 million from programs to support direct COVID-19 work,
while continuing to support existing priorities. Although this is a significant
amount, it is only a fraction of the approximately $5 billion that the
foundation spends annually across its programs. Some examples include:
- The team that supports the scale up of innovations funded an initiative (https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3006336-1&h=1623161230&u=https%3A%2F%2Famsp.africa%2Fglobal-partnership-to-introduce-a-connected-point-of-care-diagnostic-platform-for-covid-19-antigen-testing-in-africa%2F&a=funded+an+initiative )
to roll out the LumiraDx COVID-19 diagnostic platform and associated
antigen rapid diagnostic tests in Africa, along with other donors.
- Several teams provided supplemental funds to existing partners to
support R&D for new COVID-19 diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines.
- The team that supports the global delivery of health products provided
support to several existing grantees for procurement and coordinating
markets for personal protective equipment, respiratory care, and other
COVID-19 health supplies.
the Africa Medical Supplies Platform to help it purchase about 1
million courses of dexamethasone treatment for use in Africa.
- The family planning team leveraged existing surveys to understand
people's needs and behaviors during COVID-19. While surveyors asked
women and young people about contraceptive needs, they also asked
about COVID-19 to inform policy responses.
- The team that supports K-12 and higher education shifted funds to
support emergency aid efforts at schools. This funding supported
schools as they adapted to closures and provided support to families
of low-income students who may have lost housing, food, or wages.
About the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In
developing countries, it focuses on improving people's health and giving them
the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United
States, it seeks to ensure that all people--especially those with the fewest
resources--have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and
life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Mark Suzman,
under the direction of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.
Media Contact: media@gatesfoundation.org
SOURCE: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
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