The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has exposed pervasive health inequity and inequality of access to vaccines between countries, especially those in the developing world. As countries in the Asia Pacific region grapple with increasing cases and deaths, vaccine inequity has emerged as the most striking, but solvable, challenge of the pandemic. As rich countries continue hoarding vaccines, low-and-middle income countries which account for 85 per cent of the world’s population, have received only 15 per cent of the global vaccine supply. A slower and delayed vaccination rollout in these countries has left them vulnerable to emerging COVID-19 variants, new surges of the virus and a slower recovery out of the crisis.  

To address this growing disparity, multilateral organizations have been pushing for urgent action to boost supply and assure equitable access for every country. COVAX, a coalition of key global health players has devised a strategy to prevent vaccine hoarding and prioritise vaccinating high-risk people in every country first. Recently, the World Bank approved operations to support vaccine rollout in 54 countries amounting to $4.6 billion. Recognising the alarming shortage of vaccines, a Task Force on COVID-19 Vaccines, Therapeutics and Diagnostics for Developing Countries has been established by the heads of the IMF, World Bank Group, WHO and WTO to identify and resolve finance and trade impediments to vaccine, diagnostics, therapeutics production and deliveries. But this will be difficult to achieve against the backdrop of significant global inequity, and within a political system based on nation states and national interests. The task of solving global vaccine inequity presents us an opportunity to build better global governance and decision-making mechanisms to ensure equitable access to vaccines between and within countries. 

This webinar will convene thought leaders from the Asia-Pacific region to discuss the role of multilaterals in facilitating the redistribution of vaccine surplus in high-income countries. Speakers will also share experiences of the vaccine rollout in their own countries, the implications of vaccine nationalism in achieving herd immunity, and discuss strategies to ensure that vaccines reach markets with critical need.  

Programme