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AN INVESTMENT WE MUST URGENTLY MAKE – ONE response to ACT-Accelerator investment case

ONE Campaign welcomes important step in effort to secure global access to COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics and calls for even greater ambition to end pandemic

WASHINGTON DC – The ONE Campaign welcomes important momentum in the effort to secure vaccines and therapeutic treatments needed to beat COVID-19 around the world. Earlier today, partners in the ACT-Accelerator initiative updated on their progress and published a consolidated investment case.  This investment case calls for a total of $31.3 billion over the next 12 months, which will support research and development of new vaccines and therapeutics, strengthen supply and production chains and ensure these new treatments are made available to people who need them around the world. This aims to deliver two billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine in that 12-month period, including one billion to the poorest countries. Billions more doses will be needed urgently after this initial surge.

In response to this development, Gayle Smith, CEO and President of The ONE Campaign said:

“At last we’re seeing the real leadership needed to beat this pandemic. But it can’t stop here. We now need to build on this momentum and go for global vaccine equity –  that means ensuring that vaccines and treatments are available to everyone, everywhere.

“Let’s not kid ourselves – that will require a massive effort. But the truth is, the biggest global health threat in any of our lifetimes was always going to require an epic response. Beating COVID-19 is going to take a lot – and how we rise to this challenge will define us as a generation.

“But let’s also not pretend this is impossible. When faced with crises in the past, humanity has risen to the occasion. And as costly as it seems, this is far less expensive than the cost of staging an Olympic Games and just a fraction of the trillions of dollars that the pandemic has already cost. There should be no question – this is an investment we must urgently make.”