Albania hosts MWL chief for Eid sermon at largest mosque in the Balkans    Saudi Arabia launches pavilion at Bologna International Book Fair 2025    Rare Kaaba interior coverings showcased at Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah    Haramain High-Speed Railway transports over 1.2 million passengers during Ramadan    Marine Le Pen sentenced to prison, barred from office over EU funds embezzlement    UK returns over 24,000 migrants as Starmer scraps Rwanda deportation plan    Missing US soldiers' armored vehicle recovered from Lithuanian swamp    Myanmar declares seven days of national mourning after devastating earthquake    Saudi Transport Authority says passengers can ride for free if taxi meters are off    Ministry of Education forms 425 community partnerships with SR653 million impact    Defense, interior, and national guard ministers extend Eid greetings, praise efforts of military and security personnel    Mexico bans junk food in schools to fight childhood obesity epidemic    Elon Musk's xAI acquires X in all-stock deal    Sweet sales surge ahead of Eid as Saudi chocolate imports top 123 million kg in 2024    Saudi creatives shine at Jeddah's Fawanees Nights with art, fashion, and storytelling    100 Thieves claim Marvel Rivals Invitational NA crown as 2025 scene heats up    T1 CEO confirms Gumayusi's return for LCK Spring after lineup shakeup    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Saudi Arabia hold Japan to goalless draw in Saitama to stay in World Cup hunt    NewJeans announces hiatus after setback in court battle    George Foreman, heavyweight champion and cultural icon, dies at 76    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Global partners require $31bn to speed up COVID-19 medicines for all
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 27 - 06 - 2020

More than $31 billion is needed over the next 12 months to develop medicines that will be effective against COVID-19, and make them available to all people, the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners said on Friday.
Ahead of a major pledging summit, they updated journalists on a recently announced initiative to speed up production of these treatments, known as the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator.
"It's clear that to bring COVID-19 under control, and to save lives, we need effective vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics — in unprecedented quantities and at unprecedented speed," said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Access for all
The ACT-Accelerator was launched at the end of April, bringing together governments, health organizations, scientists, businesses, civil society and philanthropists.
Members work across four pillars: diagnostics, therapeutics, vaccines, and what they call "the health system connector".
They have outlined a plan that sees low- and middle-income countries receiving 500 million diagnostic tests, 245 million courses of treatments, and two billion vaccine doses, before the end of next year.
Race for a vaccine
WHO this week warned that the global COVID-19 caseload was approaching 10 million. So far, more than 484,000 people have died from the disease.
A safe and effective vaccine is the only way to prevent further spread and transmission of the new coronavirus, according to Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, chief scientist at WHO.
Although it normally takes up to 10 years to develop and manufacture a vaccine, the partners are looking to significantly shorten that timeline.
"We're aiming for 12, maximum of 18 months. And that would be unprecedented," said Dr. Swaminathan.
"The good news is we have over 200 candidates at some stage of clinical development; about 15 of them are actually now in human clinical trials."
ACT now
WHO and partners will need $31.3 billion to achieve their goals. So far, $3.4 billion has been received.
"This is an investment worth making, more than any other we can think of," said Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, one of the two special envoys for the ACT-Accelerator.
"If we don't rally now, the human costs and economic pain will deepen. So, though these numbers sound big, they are not when we think of the alternatives."
The European Commission will host a pledging summit on Saturday to support the initiative.
It will be followed by a concert organized jointly with the advocacy group Global Citizen, hosted by American actor, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. — UN News


Clic here to read the story from its source.