Coronavirus outbreak: global vaccine alliance Gavi gets US$8.8 billion shot in arm
- Online meeting involving over 50 countries beats fundraising target for providing cheaper treatments to 300 million children worldwide
- Leaders call for cooperation to ensure potential Covid-19 vaccine is available to all
Governments around the world on Thursday pledged US$8.8 billion for global vaccines alliance Gavi to help immunisation programmes disrupted by coronavirus, prompting calls for global cooperation to ensure a potential Covid-19 vaccine is available to all.
The online meeting beat a target to raise US$7.4 million to provide vaccines at a much reduced cost to 300 million children worldwide over the next five years, Gavi said.
More than 50 countries took part as well as individuals such as billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates, whose foundation pledged US$1.6 billion.
Gavi also launched a new financing drive to purchase potential Covid-19 vaccines, scale up production and support delivery to developing nations.
“Together, we rise to fulfil the greatest shared endeavour of our lifetimes – the triumph of humanity over disease,” said British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who hosted the summit. “Today we make the choice to unite, to forge a path of global cooperation.”