Expert Urges Global Investment To Avoid Devastating Pandemics

The chief executive officer of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, Dr Sania Nishtar, has called for urgent global investment in the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), describing it as an insurance premium to shield the world from devastating epidemics and pandemics.

Nishtar made the plea as CEPI launched its CEPI 3.0 strategy, seeking $2.5 billion to pivot from reactive crisis responses like the scramble during COVID-19 to proactive vaccine development and protection.

The funding drive comes at a critical juncture, with modelers recently warning that faster COVID vaccines could have saved over eight million lives and averted trillions in economic losses.

Nishtar wrote: “We don’t know when the next epidemic or pandemic will hit. We also don’t know where the next outbreak or epidemic will emerge. But when the time comes, we know that vaccines will be our best shot at saving lives, protecting health, and shielding economies. That is why all of us at Gavi support CEPI and its mission. Gavi and CEPI work hand in hand to help protect the world from infectious threats.

“CEPI’s experts help scan the horizon for potential risks, and its funding helps turn ideas and research into safe and effective new vaccines and therapeutics. And at Gavi, we help make those vaccines accessible to everyone who needs them during an emergency. Because in an epidemic or pandemic, none of us are safe until all of us are safe, please support CEPl and help us to save lives, protect health, and make the world safer from infectious threats.”