COVID-19 offers lessons to improve vaccine equity in Global South

Emory University's Rebecca Martin urges action to advance health security and health equity by improving access to and pathways for the delivery of vaccines. Martin and co-authors of the BMJ Global Health analysis, "Lessons Learnt from COVID-19 to Reduce Mortality and Morbidity in the Global South: Addressing Global Vaccine Equity for Future Pandemics," detail actions and desired outcomes to improve global vaccine equity in the Global South and beyond before a future pandemic.

"We encourage public health leaders in the Global South to begin by reviewing their successes in diagnosing and treating HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)," says Martin, Emory's vice president for global health and director of Emory Global Health Institute.

"Organizations and communities have worked together toward equitable access to services for people with HIV and to achieve shared goals in prevention. These lessons can guide actions toward improving global vaccine equity and strengthening health security."

Analyses of public health responses to the COVID-19 pandemic emphasize the inequities in access, price, delivery and uptake of mRNA vaccines.

To increase vaccine access, the authors of the analysis stress these actions:

• Assure vaccine production in multiple locations around the world
• Make vaccine pricing transparent
• Collect and share vaccine data
• Establish a new international legal framework that enables quick, temporary suspension of intellectual property rights when a global pandemic is declared

To improve delivery and uptake of vaccines, the authors propose these actions:

• Create or strengthen public health systems to deliver vaccines across the lifespan
• Implement a vaccination strategy based on public health criteria
• Create and strengthen regulatory agencies to evaluate vaccine safety and efficacy
• Collect and assure access to vital statistics
• Communicate timely, science-based health information