Geneva: Lessons learned from the Covid pandemic have left the world in a much better position to tackle the current mpox epidemic raging in Africa, according to the Gavi vaccine alliance. The Covid catastrophe brought with it "important learnings, and those learnings were drawn upon", said Gavi chief Sania Nishtar. "Those learnings cascaded into specific instruments that are now coming into play" against mpox, the former Pakistani health minister told AFP in an interview this week.
When Covid emerged in early 2020 and quickly began its deadly rampage around the globe, it revealed how completely unprepared the international community was to face such a global health crisis. It also shone a light on glaring global vaccine inequity, as wealthy countries snapped up most doses, leaving Africa far behind. Countries are still struggling to agree on a new pandemic treaty that could ensure the world is better prepared next time.
But Gavi, which works to swell vaccine access in poorer countries, has not waited for a global agreement to put in place measures to better position it to respond to emergencies, Nishtar said. The organisation in June set up a $500-million First Response Fund, designed to make cash rapidly available for vaccines during health emergencies. "The learnings of Covid were that when the emergency hits, there wasn't money available," said Nishtar, who became the first woman to lead Gavi when she took the reins in March.
Gavi announced its first use of the fund on Wed.