The International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the World Health Organization are proposing a US $ 50 billion global vaccination plan against the Coronavirus and economic recovery

World Health Organization (WHO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, and World Trade Organization (WTO)A plan to vaccinate the entire world and thus end the COVID-19 pandemic. To achieve this goal, they say, global action is necessary as public and private institutions work together.

Organizations are aware of science’s achievements in developing vaccines in record time. however, He warned that the gap in getting doses was widening between rich and poor countries.

“The uneven distribution of vaccines leaves millions of people vulnerable to contracting the virus, allowing deadly variants to emerge and spread rapidly around the world.. With the spread of the variables, even countries with advanced vaccination programs have had to re-impose stricter public health measures and travel restrictions, “they wrote in a joint opinion column published in Washington PostKristalina Georgieva from the International Monetary Fund. Tedros Adhanom from the World Health Organization. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of the World Trade Organization; And David Malpass from the World Bank.

The managers of these institutions highlighted the IMF proposal, which could be cost-effective and complemented by other WHO initiatives already underway with programs such as COVAX.

“With an estimated budget of $ 50 billion, the epidemic in developing countries will end quickly. In addition, injuries and deaths will be reduced, economic recovery will accelerate and about $ 9 trillion in global production will be generated by 2025.. Everyone wins. Also, given the invaluable benefits to people’s health and lives, about 60 percent of the benefits will go to emerging markets and developing economies, and the remaining 40 percent will benefit the developed world. ” Washington Post.

Implementation of the plan will require additional funding for low- and middle-income countries, in addition to donations of vaccines. Also, to reassure the world’s population against new variants, it will be necessary to manufacture at least a billion doses.. To achieve this last goal, it is imperative to provide technology and knowledge to countries with limited productive capacity.

All obstacles to expanding the display must be removed. We call on the members of the World Trade Organization to accelerate negotiations towards practical solutions on intellectual property. Many low- and middle-income countries are investing in local manufacturing, which is essential not only to end this epidemic but also to prepare for the next, “they also highlight.

Leaders of the World Bank, the World Health Organization, the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organization stress that the strategy must be accompanied by extensive testing against COVID-19 and tracking of infections. In addition, public health systems must be strengthened and provided with an oxygen supply.

“Speed ​​and coordination are essential. The plan requires pre-financing, donations of vaccines up front, preventive investment and advance planning. It is imperative that all of this be available as quickly as possibleThey warn.

In addition, they indicated that coordinated global action is necessary, based on complete transparency in the procurement and delivery process. They emphasized that success depends on “all parties (public, private and international financial institutions and institutions) working together.”

Investing $ 50 billion to end the pandemic would generate huge development dividends and boost growth and prosperity globally. But the longer we wait for action, the more expensive it will be: in human suffering and economic loss. ”, They indicate.

And they finish:Our institutions strive to turn this global hope into a realityThe International Monetary Fund is preparing for an unprecedented allocation of special drawing rights to increase reserves and liquidity for its members. The World Health Organization is seeking funding so that the urgent needs of the Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan and the ACT-Accelerator Partnership can be met, while encouraging the Covid-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP) to share knowledge and technology. The World Bank will have vaccine projects in operation in at least 50 countries by the end of June, and in cooperation with the International Finance Corporation, the Bank will mobilize the private sector to boost vaccine supplies to developing countries. And the WTO is working to liberalize supply chains so that the plan works. “

on the other side, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus On Monday he praised the decision. “HistoricalFrom the member states of Agency strengthening After a crisis that revealed its flaws, But he stressed the urgency of a pandemic treaty to prevent the same mistakes from being repeated.

More than a year after the outbreak of the pandemic that caused 3.5 million deaths worldwideMembers of the World Health Organization decided to boost the organism after a week of discussions. But guidelines for the reform have yet to be determined. Some countries are reluctant to give the WHO more powers for the sake of their sovereignty.

Members also decided to postpone discussions on the need for a treaty or agreement on epidemics until November., A tool that the World Health Organization and several countries, including France and Germany, have called on for a period of weeks.

On Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who spoke at the end of the assembly, It is a binding international agreement that will “do its utmost to strengthen WHO and global health security.”

“At the moment, pathogens have more power than WHO,” he concluded. Nevertheless, at the conclusion of this seventy-fourth session of the World Health Assembly, which was held via the Internet and with observation from Geneva, He described the decision as “one of the most important decisions in the history of the organization.”

The main objective of the meeting, which was highlighted in the discussions, It is the reform of the Agency and its ability to coordinate response to global health crises and prevent future epidemicsWhile the World Health Organization and the international community could not anticipate the COVID-19 pandemic.

During this week, members gained access to Various independent expert reports What or what Revealing the mistakes of the World Health Organization But also in countries that have faced the global outbreak of COVID-19, and have demanded deep reforms in … Warning s block.

One of these reports considers that the epidemic could have been avoided and that the World Health Organization announced too late, at the end of January 2020, A health emergency of international scope, that is, the highest level of preparedness.

ReportsUnanimously agreed that the world needs a stronger World Health Organization at the heart of the global health architecture.Tedros summed up.

However, Dr Tedros said: “The WHO cannot be strengthened without permanent funding.” So far, 16% of the budget expects mandatory contributions from the state, and the rest is voluntary from public and private donors.

Resolution proposed specifically by the United States and the European Union, It remains very vague on some points, which requires countries to “seek adequate, flexible, durable and predictable funding for the WHO budget program and guarantee”.

The text affirms that preparedness and response to health crises It is above all the responsibility of the governments, which play a fundamental role in this regard. “

Moreover, this is the final decision Creates a working group on enhancing WHO preparedness and response to health emergencies.

The working group, open to all Member States, will be responsible for Review the results of the various reports and make their own recommendations for consideration at the 75th session of the World Health Assembly.

What’s more, The CEO can submit his own suggestions. In fact, I have already requested to launch a pilot project for Evaluate the level of preparedness of each country to face the pandemic Improve health alert, communication and assessment systems.

With information from Agence France-Presse

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