Covid-19 vaccine must be for all
Says UN chief as more than 50 states meet virtually to find way
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres yesterday said a new vaccine against the coronavirus had to be available to everyone across the world, as an international conference got under way to raise funds for new life-saving treatments.
The virtual meeting, hosted by Britain, aims to raise $7.4 billion for immunisation programmes stalled by the pandemic, and launch a new fundraising drive to support potential COVID-19 vaccines.
In a video message, Guterres said: "A vaccine must be seen as a global public good -- a people's vaccine, which a growing number of world leaders are calling for."
There needed to be "global solidarity to ensure that every person, everywhere, has access", he added.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called for a "new era of global health co-operation" to "unite humanity in the fight against disease", particularly in the poorest countries.
"This virus has shown how connected we are. ... And no one is safe frankly until we are all safe," he added.
More than 50 countries are taking part in the meeting, as well as individuals such as billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates, to raise funds for Gavi, the vaccine alliance. Over the next five years, it wants to reboot halted programmes and provide vaccines at a much-reduced cost to some 300 million children worldwide. Gavi and its partners will also launch a financing drive to purchase potential COVID-19 vaccines, scale-up their production and support delivery to developing nations.