Joint Statement of the Multilateral Leaders Taskforce on Scaling COVID-19 Tools: A Crisis of Vaccine Inequity
IMF News, August 27, 2021
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- Joint Statement of the Multilateral Leaders Taskforce on Scaling COVID-19 Tools: A Crisis of Vaccine Inequity
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- Published: August 27, 2021
Key findings: vaccine rollout and inequity
- The global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines is progressing at two alarmingly different speeds.
- Less than 2% of adults are fully vaccinated in most low-income countries compared to almost 50% in high income countries.
- Many low- and lower middle-income countries, the majority in Africa, cannot access sufficient vaccine supply to meet global targets:
- global goals of 10% coverage in all countries by September and 40% by end 2021;
- African Union’s goal of 70% in 2022.
- This crisis of vaccine inequity is driving a dangerous divergence in COVID-19 survival rates and in the global economy.
- Barely 10% of nearly 900 million committed doses have so far been shipped.
Calls to action and policy recommendations
- To ensure all countries achieve at least 10% coverage by September and 40% by end-2021, the Multilateral Leaders Taskforce calls for:
- Countries that have contracted high volumes of vaccines to swap near-term delivery schedules with COVAX and AVAT.
- Vaccine manufacturers to immediately prioritize and fulfill their contracts to COVAX and AVAT, and to provide regular, clear supply forecasts.
- G7 and all dose-sharing countries to fulfill their pledges urgently, with enhanced pipeline visibility, product shelf life and support for ancillary supplies.
- All countries to eliminate export restrictions and any other trade barriers on COVID-19 vaccines and the inputs involved in their production.
Support, coordination, and financing actions
- The Taskforce is intensifying work with COVAX and AVAT to tackle persistent vaccine delivery, manufacturing and trade issues, notably in Africa.
- Mobilize grants and concessional financing to support vaccine delivery and manufacturing needs; explore financing mechanisms to cover future vaccine needs as requested by AVAT.
- Advocate for better supply forecasts and investments to increase country preparedness and absorptive capacity.
Data, transparency, and operational priorities
- Continue to enhance data to identify gaps and improve transparency in the supply and use of all COVID-19 tools.
- Emphasize the need for regular, clear supply forecasts from manufacturers and enhanced pipeline visibility from dose-sharing countries.
Administrative and contact information
- Press Release No. 21/245
- Date: August 27, 2021
- IMF Communications Department — MEDIA RELATIONS
- PRESS OFFICER: Nadya Saber
- Phone: +1 202 623-7100
- Email: MEDIA@IMF.org
- @IMFSpokesperson
Source: Joint Statement of the Multilateral Leaders Taskforce on Scaling COVID-19 Tools: A Crisis of Vaccine Inequity (Press Release No. 21/245, August 27, 2021).