2019 WICKED GLOBAL HEALTH CHALLENGES
Pacific Friends of Global Health Federal Pre-Budget Submission
The below document outline a series of recommendations, on behalf of Pacific Friends of Global Health, for the upcoming 2022-23 Federal Budget.
Gavi, Unitaid and the Global Fund welcome WHO recommendation for world’s first malaria vaccine
06 October 2021 WHO recommendation for wider use of the RTS,S malaria vaccine is largely based on data gathered during malaria vaccine pilots which took place in Kenya, Ghana and Malawi Gavi, the Vaccine [...]
MEDIA RELEASE: A regional COVID response needs more from Australia
A REGIONAL COVID RESPONSE NEEDS MORE FROM AUSTRALIA Media Release | 23 September 2021 Pacific Friends of Global Health welcomes the news that the Australian Government has pledged an additional 40 million COVID-19 vaccines [...]
Global Fund Results Report Reveals COVID-19 Devastating Impact on HIV, TB and Malaria Programs
GENEVA – The COVID-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on the fight against HIV, TB and malaria in 2020, according to a new report released by the Global Fund today. The Results Report shows that [...]
World Hepatitis Day 2021: Unitaid paving the way for hepatitis C elimination
Unitaid has invested more than US$ 45 million into hepatitis C since 2015, driving the development of better and more affordable tools and demonstrating that it is possible to reach – and cure – [...]
Innovative agreement launches affordable, optimal second-line HIV treatment in low- and middle-income countries
Unitaid and the Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) announce pricing agreement with pharmaceutical company Hetero Labs LTD to make available generic version of best-in-class second-line therapy for people living with HIV Geneva, 26 [...]
COVAX and World Bank to Accelerate Vaccine Access for Developing Countries
New mechanism builds on Gavi COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) cost-sharing arrangement Washington DC / Geneva, 26 July 2021 – COVAX and the World Bank will accelerate COVID-19 vaccine supply for developing countries through a [...]
FIND and Unitaid invest to support technology transfer and boost local production of COVID-19 rapid tests in low- and middle-income countries
Technology transfer agreements signed to enable expanded production of high-quality antigen rapid tests in Africa and Latin America Agreements signed with DCN Dx to transfer know-how to WAMA Diagnóstica (Brazil), and Bionote and Mologic [...]
Global Fund Applauds Switzerland’s Leadership in The Global Fight Against COVID-19
14 July 2021 GENEVA – The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria praised the decision by the Swiss Federal Council to make available CHF300 million to the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator [...]
New Partnership launched to accelerate elimination of relapsing P. vivax malaria that poses a risk to an estimated 2.5 billion people worldwide
The Partnership for Vivax Elimination (PAVE) will support endemic countries in achieving their Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax) malaria elimination goals. PAVE will advance the development of quality-assured, child-friendly treatments for relapse prevention, and generate and consolidate [...]
Gavi signs agreements with Sinopharm and Sinovac for immediate supply to COVAX
The signed advance purchase agreements will make doses available to COVAX starting from July to help address immediate and critical gaps in supply Addition of the Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines, which have already been [...]
Unitaid statement on WHO recommendations for tocilizumab and sarilumab
Geneva, 7 July 2021 – Unitaid welcomes new recommendations released by the World Health Organisation for the clinical care package for patients with severe or critical COVID-19, adding two medicines (tocilizumab and sarilumab). Having more treatment options is [...]
Joint COVAX Statement on the equal recognition of vaccines
Geneva/New York/Oslo, 1 July 2021 – COVAX was built on the principle of equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines to protect the health of people all across the globe. That means protecting their lives and livelihoods, [...]
6 million children benefitting from the first ever multi-antigen vaccination campaign
Harare, 1 July 2021 – UNICEF, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and WHO have partnered with the Ministry of Health and Child Care to launch a new vaccine campaign introducing typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) into the [...]
Gavi signs agreement with Clover Biopharmaceuticals for supply to COVAX
The signed advance purchase agreement (APA) will make up to 414 million doses of the Clover vaccine candidate available to the COVAX Facility, pending WHO Emergency Use Listing (EUL) Supply will be available to [...]
Indonesia introduces Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) across the country
Gavi, UNICEF and partners collaborate on nationwide introduction, which will see all children from the age of two months protected from pneumonia by 2022 The country has received 1.6 million doses of the vaccine [...]
Gavi Board strengthens commitment to reaching the most vulnerable through routine immunisation and COVAX
Gavi Board makes key strategic decisions to support Gavi’s 5.0 strategy of leaving no child behind through immunisation; doubles down on ambitious targets for COVAX New market-shaping strategy, alliances with civil society among measures [...]
Gavi and the Global Fund sign groundbreaking agreement with International Federation of Accountants to support in-country financial management
Geneva, 24 June 2021 – Global health leaders Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria have joined forces with the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) to contribute to, and support, the implementation [...]
What does COVAX’s latest supply forecast tell us?
23 June 2021 – by Aurélia Nguyen, Managing Director, Office of the COVAX Facility COVAX’s latest supply forecast is now published. According to this latest assessment, the vaccines pillar of the ACT-Accelerator will have 1.9 billion [...]
Unitaid’s Executive Board meets to discuss strategic direction in an evolving global health landscape at 38th meeting
Geneva, 18 June 2021 – The Executive Board recognized Unitaid’s leadership and agility in responding to COVID-19 and discussed new challenges and opportunities facing the organization during its 38th meeting, held virtually from 16th to 18th June. Unitaid’s board [...]
Unprecedented cooperation with global oxygen suppliers paves way to increase access for low- and middle-income countries to address COVID-19 crisis
Agreement brokered by Unitaid and CHAI under the COVID-19 Oxygen Emergency Taskforce sees two of the world’s largest medical oxygen suppliers each collaborate with these ACT-Accelerator partners on increased access in low- and middle-income [...]
G7 announces pledges of 870 million COVID-19 vaccine doses, of which at least half to be delivered by the end of 2021
COVAX welcomes dose sharing commitments for 870 million additional doses to support equitable access to vaccines in 2021 and 2022, with the aim to deliver at least half by the end of 2021 The [...]
UK government funding cuts: statement from Unitaid’s Chair and Executive Director
Geneva, 10 June 2021 – Unitaid has been informed by the Government of the United Kingdom that our funding from the UK has been cut from an expected £77 million in 2021 to just £6 million. [...]
Gavi welcomes U.S. decision to procure 500 million vaccine doses to be delivered through COVAX
US Government scheme, announced today, will see 500 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine distributed through the COVAX Facility Deliveries will begin in August, with 200 million to be shipped in 2021 and a [...]
MEDIA RELEASE: AUSTRALIA PLEDGES AN ADDITIONAL $50M FOR COVAX
MEDIA RELEASE2 June 2021The Australian Global Health Alliance and Pacific Friends of Global Health welcome the news that the Australian Government has pledged an additional $50 million to COVAX, the global mechanism to ensure access [...]
World leaders unite to commit to global equitable access for COVID-19 vaccines
The Gavi COVAX AMC Summit “One World Protected” virtual event, hosted today by the Government of Japan and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, raised US$ 2.4 billion from nearly 40 donor governments, the private sector [...]
New Zealand transfers vaccine doses to COVAX – 6 Pacific nations first to benefit
Responding to an urgent need for doses around the world, the Government of New Zealand has pledged to transfer 1.6 million doses allocated through COVAX to lower-income economies. These doses, entirely funded by New [...]
G20 Reaffirms Commitment to ACT-A to Fight COVID-19
21 May 2021 ROME – G20 leaders and heads of international and regional organizations reaffirmed their commitment to fight pandemics and support the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator –a ground breaking collaboration of global [...]
Unitaid supports new Global Initiative to end Cryptococcal Meningitis deaths by 2030
Geneva, 13th May 2021 – Unitaid is pleased to support the new Global Initiative to end Cryptococcal Meningitis deaths by 2030, launched on May 12th 2021 by key partners in the Cryptococcal Meningitis Advocacy Group. This [...]
Japan to host Gavi’s COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) Summit
Geneva, 12 May 2021 – The Government of Japan yesterday announced that it will host the virtual Gavi COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) Summit on June 2nd 2021. The event, co-hosted by Japanese Prime Minister H.E. Yoshihide [...]
Global Fund 45th Board Meeting Reports Continued Progress Despite COVID-19 Pandemic
Global Fund 45th Board Meeting Reports Continued Progress Despite COVID-19 Pandemic 12 May 2021 GENEVA – The Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria overwhelmingly praised the continued progress of [...]
MEDIA RELEASE: CONCERN FOR A DECLINING AID BUDGET DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC
11 May 2021: The Australian Global Health Alliance – Australia’s peak body for global health organisations – and Pacific Friends of Global Health are alarmed by the Australian Government’s decision to decrease its foreign [...]
Unitaid statement on US support for IP waiver for COVID-19 vaccines
Unitaid statement on US support for IP waiver for COVID-19 vaccines Geneva, 6th May 2021 – Unitaid welcomes the decision of the United States government to support a waiver of intellectual property protections for COVID-19 [...]
Access to HIV self-tests significantly expanded and costs halved thanks to Unitaid agreement
Access to HIV self-tests significantly expanded and costs halved thanks to Unitaid agreement Photo credits: PSI/Dogsontherunphotography Self-testing vital tool to help people know HIV status – but market has been dominated by single oral-based [...]
Immunization services begin slow recovery from COVID-19 disruptions, though millions of children remain at risk from deadly diseases
Immunization services begin slow recovery from COVID-19 disruptions, though millions of children remain at risk from deadly diseases Ambitious new global strategy aims to save over 50 million lives through vaccination. Geneva/New York, 26 [...]
France makes important vaccine dose donation to COVAX
France makes important vaccine dose donation to COVAX Today, to mark the first year of the creation of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, President Emmanuel Macron announced that France has begun sharing [...]
World Malaria Day: Unitaid commits to ensure increased and equitable access to life-saving tools against malaria
World Malaria Day : Unitaid commits to ensure increased and equitable access to life-saving tools against malaria Geneva – Ahead of World Malaria Day, marked annually on April 25, Unitaid reaffirms its strong commitment to [...]
Global leaders rally to accelerate access to COVID-19 vaccines for lower-income countries
Global leaders rally to accelerate access to COVID-19 vaccines for lower-income countries The “One World Protected” Event, hosted today by the United States and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, launched a campaign to raise US$ [...]
Unitaid commemorates World Chagas Day with a new initiative to prevent mother-to-child transmission of the disease
Unitaid commemorates World Chagas Day with a new initiative to prevent mother-to-child transmission of the disease Chagas disease affects between 6 and 7 million people worldwide and kills 10,000 people annually. In Latin America, [...]
New Global Fund Report Shows Massive Disruption to Health Care Caused by COVID-19 in Africa and Asia
New Global Fund Report Shows Massive Disruption to Health Care Caused by COVID-19 in Africa and Asia 13 April 2021 GENEVA – A new report by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria [...]
COVAX reaches over 100 economies, 42 days after first international delivery
COVAX reaches over 100 economies, 42 days after first international delivery The COVAX Facility has now delivered life-saving vaccines to over 100 economies since making its first international delivery to Ghana on February 24th [...]
Global Fund Thanks Germany for EUR 140 million Contribution
Global Fund Thanks Germany for EUR 140 million Contribution 08 April 2021 GENEVA – The Global Fund applauds Germany’s leadership in the global response to COVID-19 and warmly welcomes an additional contribution of EUR 140 [...]
Gavi and Save the Children form global partnership to immunise zero-dose and vulnerable children
Gavi and Save the Children form global partnership to immunise zero-dose and vulnerable children The partnership will focus on reaching children who are currently receiving no routine vaccines and marginalised communities in line with [...]
United States to host launch event for Gavi COVAX AMC 2021 investment opportunity
United States to host launch event for Gavi COVAX AMC 2021 investment opportunity The virtual event will bring together world leaders, the private sector, civil society, and key technical partners to galvanize resources and [...]
Unitaid reaffirms its commitment to combat tuberculosis in times of COVID-19
Unitaid reaffirms its commitment to combat tuberculosis in times of COVID-19 Geneva – On World Tuberculosis Day 2021, Unitaid renews its strong commitment to fight one the world’s deadliest infectious killers. Ensuring wider access to [...]
TB testing in 2020 dropped drastically due to COVID-19
TB testing in 2020 dropped drastically due to COVID-19 24 March 2021 GENEVA – On World Tuberculosis Day, new data shows the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the fight against another [...]
MEDIA RELEASE: GHAA and Pacific Friends welcome Australian Government’s COVID19 support for PNG
MEDIA RELEASE 17 March 2021 Global Health Alliance Australia – Australia’s peak body for global health organisations – and Pacific Friends of Global Health congratulate the Australian Government’s announcement this morning of urgent [...]
Global Fund signs a record-breaking $8.54 billion in grants to fight HIV, TB and malaria
Global Fund signs a record-breaking $8.54 billion in grants to fight HIV, TB and malaria 12 January 2021 GENEVA – In 2020, the Global Fund signed 157 grants for a total of US$8.54 billion for [...]
Unitaid funding sees launch of world’s first long-acting medicines centre at University of Liverpool
Unitaid funding sees launch of world’s first long-acting medicines centre at University of Liverpool Geneva, 12 January 2021 – Efforts to revolutionise treatments for debilitating infectious diseases have been amplified today with the launch of [...]
Gavi welcomes final approval of U.S. support for global immunisation in Year-End Omnibus and COVID Supplemental Package
The United States has approved US$ 4 billion for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance to ensure lower-income economies have equitable access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines on the same urgent timeline as wealthier countries. [...]
COVAX announces additional deals to access promising COVID-19 vaccine candidates; plans global rollout starting Q1 2021
COVAX now has agreements in place to access nearly two billion doses of several promising vaccine candidates, and laid the groundwork for further doses to be secured through contributions from donors These agreements mean [...]
Global Fund has awarded $1 billion to support countries’ COVID-19 responses, but funding for this purpose is now fully deployed
Global Fund has awarded $1 billion to support countries’ COVID-19 responses, but funding for this purpose is now fully deployed GENEVA – The Global Fund has awarded nearly US$1 billion to 106 countries to [...]
World AIDS Day 2020: Innovation and investment needed to protect valuable HIV gains against COVID19
Innovation and investment needed to protect valuable HIV gains against COVID19 As the world continues to fight the COVID19 pandemic, we must remember that we haven’t finished the fight against the last major pandemic [...]
Australia can continue to pave the way for cervical cancer elimination
Australia can continue to pave the way for cervical cancer elimination On 17 November, following the close of the 73rd World Health Assembly, the World Health Organization will officially launch the Global Strategy to [...]
MEDIA RELEASE: Australian Government commits $500m for COVID19 immunisation across the region
MEDIA RELEASE Australian Government commits $500m for COVID19 immunisation across the region Global Health Alliance Australia and Pacific Friends of Global Health welcome the announcement from the Australian Government of a $500 million pledge [...]
Global Fund Covid-19 Situation Report
Global Fund COVID-19 Situation Report – 27 October 2020 Global cases: : 43,341,451 confirmed. Global deaths: 1,157,509 confirmed. COVID-19 has infected 43.3 million people and killed 1.1 million since the outbreak emerged last December. [...]
France gives extra US$11 million to support Unitaid work on COVID-19 therapies
Geneva – Unitaid is pleased to announce that France has contributed €10 million (US$11 million) to Unitaid’s work in the Therapeutics Partnership of the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A). This is in addition to the core [...]
Unitaid supports call for intellectual property waivers and action for access to COVID-19 products
Geneva – Unitaid calls on countries to take the necessary measures to facilitate and promote access to vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics that will help fight the COVID-19 pandemic. This should include ensuring that they have the [...]
Article: Childbirth and COVID19
Childbirth and COVID-19 By Lily Li, Lily Owens, Isobel Beasley, Kathy Zhang and Isabelle Stevenson (members of the Melbourne University Health Initiative (MUHI) and mentored by the Global Health Alliance) Introduction COVID-19 is the [...]
Global partnership to make available 120 million affordable, quality COVID-19 rapid tests for low- and middle-income countries
Global partnership to make available 120 million affordable, quality COVID-19 rapid tests for low- and middle-income countries A full access package includes WHO policy guidance on the use of antigen-based rapid diagnostic tests, manufacturer [...]
STATEMENT: Re Australian Government signatory to COVAX Facility
STATEMENT: Re Australian Government signatory to COVAX Facility Melbourne, 22 September, 2020: Professor Brendan Crabb AC, Chair of Pacific Friends of Global Health, commended Australia’s commitment to global vaccine access: “The COVAX Facility is [...]
Global Fund Covid-19 Situation Report
Global Fund COVID-19 Situation Report – 9 September 2020 Global cases: : 27,205,275 confirmed. Global deaths: 890,392 confirmed. Countries, areas or territories with cases: 216 (as of 8 September, WHO). The Americas carry the [...]
Global Fund Covid-19 Situation Report
Global Fund COVID-19 Situation Report – 21 July 2020 Global cases: : 14,348,858 confirmed. Global deaths: 603,691 confirmed. Countries, areas or territories with cases: 216 (as of 14 July, WHO). As COVID-19 cases and [...]
Media Release: Australia to commit $80m to guarantee access to COVID vaccine for all
MEDIA RELEASE Australia to commit $80m to guarantee access to COVID vaccine for all Melbourne, 26 August, 2020: The Australian Government has announced today that it will contribute $80m to a global initiative that [...]
A community-based response to COVID-19 for trialling in Melbourne: Burnet Institute
Testing and contact tracing are here to stay – regardless of whether we can access a vaccine. The Burnet Institute, in collaboration with Melbourne based community health centres and local councils have designed a model [...]
Global Fund Covid-19 Situation Report
Global Fund COVID-19 Situation Report – 28 July 2020 Global cases: 16,301,736 confirmed. Global deaths: 650,069 confirmed. Countries, areas or territories with cases: 216 (as of 28 July, WHO). On 25 July, WHO reported [...]
COVID19 Recommendations to Government
Report release date: 24th July 2020 Key recommendations from this week’s Burnet Institute Know C-19 analysis include: Decentralize the model of care for the public health response Targeted testing and establish surveillance In a [...]
Global Fund Covid-19 Situation Report
Global Fund COVID-19 Situation Report – 21 July 2020Global cases: : 14,348,858 confirmed. Global deaths: 603,691 confirmed. Countries, areas or territories with cases: 216 (as of 14 July, WHO). As COVID-19 cases and deaths continue rising [...]
Global Fund Covid-19 Situation Report
Global Fund COVID-19 Situation Report – 14 July 2020 Global cases: : 12,929,306 confirmed. Global deaths: 569,738 confirmed. Countries, areas or territories with cases: 216 (as of 14 July, WHO). As COVID-19 infections and [...]
What is the COVAX Pillar, why do we need it and how will it work?
The COVAX pillar aims to ensure that the most viable COVID19 vaccine candidates get the support needed to succeed, and are then produced at scale to reach everyone, everywhere. Read this Q&A from Gavi [...]
EOI: Driving equitable access to fit-for-purpose antigen-detecting rapid diagnostic tests for COVID-19
EOI closes July 24, 2020 - Unitaid and FIND are calling for expressions of interest (EOI) to accelerate the availability and manufacturing scale-up of rapid diagnostic tests for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 antigens. This EOI [...]
URGENT: Applications sought for the COVAX Independent Product Group
Application deadline extended: 17 July 2020 The COVAX Pillar - one of the four pillars of the Act-Accelerator - are seeking applications for its expert Independent Product Group. Objectives The Independent Product Group will [...]
Global Fund Covid-19 Situation Report
Global Fund COVID-19 Situation Report – 7 July 2020 Global cases: 11,468,979 confirmed. Global deaths: 535,181 confirmed. Countries, areas or territories with cases: 216 (as of 7 July, WHO). COVID-19 cases and deaths continue [...]
Global Fund Covid-19 Situation Report
Global Fund COVID-19 Situation Report – 23 June 2020 Global cases: 8,936,337 confirmed. Global deaths: 468,308 confirmed. Countries, areas or territories with cases: 216 (as of 23 June, WHO). “It seems that almost every [...]
Pacific Friends of Global Health welcomes Australian Government’s Gavi commitment
Melbourne, 4 June, 2020: Australia’s leading advocacy group for global health in the Pacific, has welcomed the Australian Government’s renewed commitment to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to ensure routine vaccinations can continue to be [...]
Global Fund Covid-19 Situation Report
Global Fund COVID-19 Situation Report – 8 May 2020 Global cases: 3,679,499 confirmed. Global deaths: 254,199 confirmed. Countries, areas or territories with cases: 215 (as of 8 May, WHO). On 4 May governments and [...]
Equitable global access to vaccines, treatments and diagnostics is key to tackling COVID-19 pandemic
Geneva, 14 May 2020 – As governments, international organisations, pharmaceutical industry, academia and others focus their efforts on the COVID-19 coronavirus, it is clear that this global pandemic needs a global response. It is [...]
COVID-19: Gavi and UNICEF to secure equipment & diagnostics for lower-income countries
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance has urgently made US$ 40 million available to UNICEF to secure personal protective equipment (PPE), diagnostic tests and other vital supplies on behalf of 58 low and lower middle-income countries [...]
Global Fund Partners Unite to Fight
GENEVA – The Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria today unanimously approved a new response mechanism to support countries to respond to COVID-19 and mitigate the impact on programs to [...]
From Townsville to Tuvalu
Health and Climate Change in Australia and the Asia Pacific Region From Townsville to Tuvalu From Townsville to Tuvalu, from Nillumbik to the Northern Territory, impacts of climate change on our health include [...]
Value of vaccines? Fighting Superbugs
‘A top health economist says vaccines are undervalued by society – but their role in combatting antimicrobial resistance could change that’ Read more here.
Vaccinating Against Superbugs by Seth Berkley & Jeremy Farrar
"The ability to control infectious disease is the bedrock of modern medicine, and vaccines are important tools for keeping such diseases at bay. But vaccines can also limit the spread of drug-resistant strains by reducing [...]
Victorian Australian of the Year: Mark Sullivan recognised for his efforts to tackle river blindness
GLHAM member, Medicines Development for Global Health, is the first pharmaceutical company to receive US approval for the drug moxidectin, which treats river blindness. This is the only second new treatment for this debilitating [...]
SNAKEBITE: THE WORLD’S IGNORED HEALTH CRISIS
Snakebite claims the lives of between 81,000 to 138,000 people each year, and hundreds of thousands more will live with lifelong disfigurement or receive amputations. But finally, after years of neglect, the voiceless victims [...]
Global Health Security: Why Malaria Elimination is a Priority
By Associate Professor Helen Evans AO FAIIA 09 May 2018 As Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop said at a recent malaria meeting held in London: “The health security of any one nation is [...]
GLHAM Q&A with Robin Davies
DFAT Centre for Regional Health Security: Centre Head Robin Davies answers all the tough questions at a Q&A in Melbourne on 3rd November 2017.