Devex: The ACT-Accelerator needs $35B more funding. Here’s what’s at stake if it fails
“The World Health Organization has published an updated investment case for the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator and a detailed plan for how the money will be used in the next three months — or what will happen if immediate funding fails to materialize. The investment case now includes costing for the ACT-Accelerator’s ‘fourth pillar,’ known as the health systems connector, which has a total requirement of $9 billion. This fourth pillar is essentially meant to ensure the availability of oxygen and personal protective equipment in countries, as well as support countries in building their capacities and health systems to deploy COVID-19 tools effectively and efficiently. In addition to a reduction in costings for the vaccines pillar, this brings the initiative’s total ask from $31 billion to $38 billion, with $15 billion in funding needed immediately…” (Ravelo, 9/25).