No images? Click here Sending on behalf of the Independent Panel Pandemic reform agenda is moving, but not fast or cohesive enoughIndependent Panel former Co-Chairs, Helen Clark and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, provide blunt assessment of ‘uneven’ progress as pandemic continues to cause illness, deaths, economic losses22 November 2021, LONDON - Reform on pandemic preparedness and response is underway, but to end this pandemic and prepare for the next global health threat, Heads of State and Government must come together to make faster progress. In a six-month accountability report, the former Co-Chairs of The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response assess the linked areas of leadership and governance, financing, equity, a new legal instrument, and a stronger WHO. The Co-Chairs presented their findings today in a new report titled Losing Time: End this pandemic and secure the future, during a Chatham House event. “We are encouraged to see some movement to address the major gaps exposed in global pandemic preparedness and response. Conversations are happening in many of the right places,” said the Right Honourable Helen Clark. “The world now needs these conversations to come together - especially at the UN General Assembly, where Heads of State and Government can declare their commitments and a pathway to a more secure world, including to a new Global Health Threats Council to provide much needed leadership and accountability.” In May 2021, Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and the Right Honourable Helen Clark issued the Independent Panel’s findings following a nine-month deep-dive into the global and national response to COVID-19. They recommended immediate actions to end COVID-19 and a package of international, interlinked reform solutions intended to stop a future outbreak from becoming another devastating pandemic. In today’s report, they summarize progress on each recommendation in a comprehensive dashboard. Uneven and fragmented efforts The former Co-Chairs find uneven and sometimes fragmented efforts as the pandemic continues at pace. They note that in just the six months since tabling their plan for action at least 90 million more people have contracted COVID and 1.65 million more people have died - and those are only the illnesses and deaths that have been recorded. Of grave urgent concern remains vaccine inequity - which has changed very little since May 2021. Analysis shows very low full coverage in the poorest countries – in some under 1% of the population are fully vaccinated. “Our Panel calculated that there were at least one billion doses available to redistribute to low-income countries by 1 September this year,” said Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. “Yet while wealthy countries have made public pledges, just a fraction of redistributed doses have actually been delivered. The idea that a poor health worker is unprotected while the healthy and wealthy receive booster doses should present a deep moral quandary. To this there is only one solution - vaccine equity.” The former Co-Chairs say that global health cannot be left hostage to a pharmaceutical industry which buys up patents and develops them in the interest of making profits. They say that the development of a true end-to-end global public goods model remains the answer. The report also warns that vaccine pledges can be soured by inconsistent delivery and dumping of near-expired vaccines – creating “a wasted opportunity to protect people.” Some progress, much more to be done With regard to specific progress and the work remaining, the Co-Chairs point to: Leadership and Governance
Financing
Equity for vaccines, diagnostics and treatments
Strengthening WHO and a Pandemic Treaty
Purpose, urgency, results The Co-Chairs warn however about the potential for protracted discussion at the World Health Assembly and the United Nations when the need for reforms is urgent, and ask Member States to work with purpose towards real results that will protect people. “We urge Member States to spend less time debating commas in committees while a pandemic still rages, people are dying, and a new pandemic threat could arise anytime and anywhere,” said Helen Clark. Overall, the report underscores that more focused and coherent work be done on a reform package with urgency. The Co-Chairs stress that the reforms required now can both contribute to ending the current pandemic and preventing another. In their preface, the Co-Chairs write that much of the groundwork for reforms has been done and that it’s now imperative to seize the moment to make change. “What is needed now is for countries to make a final push so that the opportunity to create a safer world does not slip through our fingers. We ask: if this pandemic representing a threat to the health and wellbeing of humanity worldwide cannot catalyse real change, what will?” END For more information: The report Losing Time: End this pandemic and secure the future is available at www.TheIndependentPanel.org , as are all Independent Panel materials. Media may contact Christine McNab in Toronto, Canada at ChristineMcNab@gmail.com, +1 416 986 2068. For all other information please contact Secretariat@Ipppr.org Media contacts: Christine McNab, ChristineMcNab@gmail.com You are receiving this NO-REPLY email because you are included on a WHO mail list. |
Monday, November 22, 2021
Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response News Release: Pandemic reform agenda is moving, but not fast or cohesive enough
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