Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has again pledged to commit an additional $250 million to support the research, development and equitable delivery of life-saving tools in the global effort against the dreaded coronavirus (COVID-19).
According to the foundation, the funds will, among others, help Nigeria and other low and middle-income countries in their quest to gain access to vaccines, following fears that wealthier countries may be buying up most of the supplies. The announcement brings the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s total commitments to the global COVID-19 response to $1.75 billion. It stated this in a statement wherein it called for global commitments to making these innovations available in 2021 to everyone who needs them.
Explaining the basis for the extra donation, co-chair of the Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, said, “Thanks to the ingenuity of the global scientific community, we are achieving the exciting medical breakthroughs needed to end the pandemic. We have new drugs and more potential vaccines than we could have expected at the start of the year. But these innovations will only save lives if they get out into the world.”
Gates Foundation Co-chair, Melinda Gates added: “Everyone, everywhere deserves to benefit from the science developed in 2020. 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.”
