KUALA LUMPUR: The Sabin Vaccine Institute (Sabin) has partnered with Dalberg and JSI Research & Training Institute Inc (JSI) to create the Covid-19 Vaccine Equity Project.
Based on a statement, the Skoll Foundation is supporting the project through start-up funding of US$1 million to pilot the programme in four countries. (US$1 = RM4.157)
Following a successful pilot, the partners hope to secure additional funding to scale the project to more than 40 countries starting next year.
This collaboration will support low and middle-income country immunisation professionals in leading the equitable delivery of Covid-19 vaccines through their national immunisation programmes.
It also complements the approach outlined in the COVAX Facility, the vaccines pillar of the Access to Covid-19 Tools Accelerator, led by the World Health Organization; Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations.
In addition, this project also ensures that national immunisation programmes have the resources and health systems to achieve sustainable global protection from Covid-19 by 2022 and strengthen capacity for vaccination across the lifespan.
The Covid-19 Vaccine Equity Project will comprise three phases, designed to rapidly assess vaccine distribution landscape, maximise learnings and scale a successful pilot to enable equitable global delivery of vaccines.
The Skoll Foundation is funding Phases 1 and 2.
Phases of the project will accelerate equitable distribution now, before a vaccine arrives, to ensure that it reaches the most vulnerable when one becomes available. More details at vaccineequity.org
-Bernama
