Japan, GAVI host fundraiser to secure $8.3bn for vaccine access

Japan will on Wednesday host the virtual Gavi Covax Advance Market Commitment Summit.

The meeting co-hosted by Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide and Gavi board chairman José Manuel Barroso seeks to secure at least $8.3 billion for 2020-21 to accelerate access to 1.8 billion Covid-19 vaccine doses for lower-income economies.

The Gavi Covax Advance Market Commitment will raise $2 billion from donors and the private sector in addition to $6.3 billion raised before the campaign was launched at the One World Protected event on April 15.

Japan pledged $300 million to Gavi’s 2021-25 vaccination programmes at the Gavi Global Vaccine Summit in June last year and has already disbursed $200 million.

“Securing 1.8 billion doses would enable the AMC to protect nearly 30% of the population in all AMC countries or roughly half the entire adult population. Currently, the AMC has funds in place to protect approximately 20% of populations, equivalent to all health and social care workers, elderly and those with underlying health conditions,” Gavi said in a statement.

“The additional funds are also urgently needed to diversify the portfolio in times of supply uncertainty; secure access to doses for delivery in 2021 and early 2022; and plan the scenarios and strategy for public health needs for 2022 and beyond,” the statement added.

The summit will also bring together world leaders, the private sector, civil society and key technical partners to reflect on the challenges, successes and lessons learned; and look ahead to potential scenarios to address the pandemic and bolster global health security for the future.

Covax co-convened by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and the World Health Organization, developed and developing country vaccine manufacturers, the World Bank, and others. Unicef is the key implementing partner.

It is working with governments and manufacturers to ensure vaccines are available worldwide to both higher-income and lower-income countries. 

SUPPORT TO KENYA

Japan has donated about Sh212 million to Kenya to improve the cold chain capacity for Covid-19 vaccine rollout, as part of a grant of about Sh1.2 billion to 11 countries in the East and Southern Africa region.

Unicef on May 19 said the funding will support the government of Kenya in its Covid-19 vaccination efforts, especially through the procurement of equipment for vaccine storage, distribution and continuous temperature monitoring.

"The funds will also be used to support the installation of new equipment and provide training to the healthcare workers on how to operate the equipment," Unicef said in a statement. 

“Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in Kenya, Japan has been contributing to the fight against the virus by providing medical equipment and PCR test kits,” Japan Ambassador Horie Ryoichi said.

“Japan is now committed to supporting the improvement of the vaccination programmes all over the world by contributing about Sh21.2 billion to the Covax facility, an international mechanism led by Gavi, CEPI, WHO and Unicef.”