Oct. 29, 2021

The Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator on Thursday launched its strategic plan and budget for the next 12 months, outlining the urgent actions and funding needed to address deep inequities in the COVID-19 response.

According to a statement by the World Health organisation (WHO) inequitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines is prolonging the pandemic everywhere and risking the emergence of new, more dangerous variants that could evade current tools to fight the disease.

“So far, only 0.4% of tests and 0.5% of vaccines administered worldwide have been used in low-income countries, despite these countries comprising 9% of the global population”, the statement read.

“The new ACT-Accelerator strategic plan sets out urgent actions to address crucial gaps in access to COVID-19 tests, treatments, vaccines and personal protective equipment in low- and middle-income countries, using the latest epidemiological, supply and market information”.

WHO noted that delivering this plan is crucial to reaching globally agreed targets for COVID-19 tools, to help prevent at least 5 million potential additional deaths, save the global economy more than US$ 5.3 trillion, and accelerate the end of the pandemic everywhere.

“The ACT-Accelerator needs US$ 23.4 billion until September 2022 to implement this plan, reflecting a fresh scope, advances in science and supply, and new actors joining the pandemic response”.

It noted that the new plan also responds to the recent independent Strategic Review’s key recommendations and will be implemented alongside global health, government, civil society and private sector partners.

“The Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator has today launched its strategic plan and budget for the next 12 months, outlining the urgent actions and funding needed to address deep inequities in the COVID-19 response, save millions of lives and end the acute phase of the pandemic”.