Google the words “African Union” and you will find two out of the four top questions are “What is the purpose of the African Union?” and “Why was the African Union formed?” The answers? The African Union (AU) was formed for times like these – a global moment that requires global collaboration. The AU was formed to increase cooperation and integration of African states to drive Africa’s growth and economic development. With a crisis of a century such as the...
Developing a vaccine is key to ending the COVID-19 pandemic, and there are currently almost 100 COVID vaccine candidates under development. During a recent press briefing, Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, explained that “in an extraordinary time like this is the world coming to fully appreciate the need for vaccines … people understand more why it’s so important.” “If we want to end this pandemic, minimise the loss of life, and return to some semblance of normality …...
The world is in the midst of a global crisis, and the global health community is racing to flatten the pandemic’s curve and find a vaccine for COVID-19. Global health systems and security are crucial right now, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has been investing in improving global health for the past 20 years. Here are six things Gavi grants and funds help support, and why it’s crucial that these programmes are funded. 1. Making sure a COVID-19 vaccine reaches those...
Bryan Ceronie is a medical doctor in the UK. We are living in unprecedented times. The COVID-19 pandemic has stretched across the world in a matter of months, affecting virtually everyone. But just because we’re in a pandemic does not mean the risk of other diseases goes away. In fact, there is a real risk of routine immunisations being sidelined in favour of resource reallocation for the pandemic. Vaccinations are one of the single most important public health interventions in protecting the...
World Immunization Week (24-30 April) is run by the World Health Organization to promote the use of vaccines to protect people against disease. Immunization is one of the best public health tools that we have. It saves millions of lives every year, is cost-effective, and fights against poverty. This is why Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance is so important, especially in this time of crisis. Vaccines will, of course, be vital in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. As the most...
Since the start of the year, we have been advocating for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to make sure that people everywhere can access the vaccinations they need to live healthy lives. Now, with COVID-19 impacting nearly every country on the planet, Gavi’s work has never been more important. “As has become brutally clear in recent months, this disease doesn’t respect borders, which is why it will take a truly global response to defeat it. … Routine immunisation against other deadly...
There isn’t a place in the world yet to be touched by the COVID-19 pandemic. While the global health community works together to find a vaccine, we’re reminded of just how integral routine immunisations are to transforming the health of people and communities everywhere. Right now, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance is calling on world leaders and donors to help it continue its lifesaving work protecting communities from deadly diseases, like measles and polio, and fight the spread of COVID-19. When...
The world has made massive strides in ending extreme poverty over the past two decades. Since 2000, over a billion people have escaped extreme poverty. At that rate, the global goal of ending extreme poverty by 2030 could be possible. But the problem is far from solved. Today, 592 million people worldwide are living on under US$1.90 a day. While extreme poverty is decreasing on the whole, more people are entering extreme poverty in the countries most affected by poverty....
Jef Vanhamel is a medical doctor and ONE Youth Ambassador in Belgium. The COVID-19 pandemic is changing the lives of billions of people worldwide. The rapid spread of the new virus has caused devastating health effects. In addition, the measures taken to contain its spread are severely affecting the global economy and our daily lives. Because this crisis is so deeply rooted in almost every aspect of life, it is also painfully exposing and exacerbating the existent inequalities on multiple levels...
Dear G20 Finance Ministers, It’s been over three months since the first COVID-19 case was reported in China. Since then, the health, economic, and geopolitical impacts of the pandemic have brought the world to a standstill. Two weeks ago, leaders pledged to do “whatever it takes” to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic. As we await to see your action plan ahead of the next G20 financing meeting on 15 April, it’s imperative that you spell out your commitments to the most vulnerable...