The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is committing an additional $250 million in the fight against COVID-19, with funds going to support research, development, and equitable delivery of lifesaving tools, the Seattle-based organization announced Thursday.
The funds are the foundation’s largest single contribution to the COVID-19 response to date, and bring its total commitments to the global pandemic response to $1.75 billion.
The foundation stressed that it’s a top priority in the new year to bring the benefits of scientific breakthroughs that are happening now to all corners of globe.
“We are confident that the world will get better in 2021, but whether it gets better for everyone depends on the actions of the world’s leaders and their commitment to deliver tests, treatments, and vaccines to the people who need them, no matter where they live or how much money they have,” Melinda Gates, co-chair of the Gates Foundation, said in a statement.
“We have new drugs and more potential vaccines than we could have expected at the start of the year,” Bill Gates said. “But these innovations will only save lives if they get out into the world.”
Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman also wrote a blog post Thursday further expanding on how fair access to vaccines is part of the organization’s origin story. He said the massive manufacturing, supply chain and delivery network is already up and running in some of the richest nations.
“The situation is very different for the majority of human beings that live in low- and middle-income nations, which include everywhere from South Sudan to Peru,” Suzman wrote. “In these countries, the supply chain hasn’t started to hum. Few deals have been cut with pharmaceutical companies, and the forecasts for vaccine supply are low.”
Suzman said the next phase of fighting the pandemic will be costlier than the initial development of vaccines and the foundation’s commitment is a fraction of what will be needed. This FAQ answers some of the questions about how much the foundation has given and who gets funds.