UK convenes health and humanitarian leaders to accelerate efforts to vaccinate the most vulnerable

Yesterday’s meeting was the first of its kind: an opportunity for senior leaders from both the humanitarian and health sectors to discuss the specific challenges associated with delivering and administering vaccines in humanitarian settings.

Simon Manley, UK Ambassador and Permanent Representative in Geneva, chaired the discussion:

We are all rightly focused on scaling up and speeding up vaccine production and distribution, but we also need to ensure that those vaccines reach the arms of the most vulnerable. This meeting was about bringing together the humanitarian community to ensure that we are as well prepared for that as possible, not least through engagement with the communities themselves.

Whilst much of the global conversation to-date has focused on increasing vaccine supply, the discussion demonstrated a clear need to:

• Accelerate in-country preparedness for the delivery of vaccines – this includes everything from logistics to the training of health workers. This is particularly important in conflict zones, where working with non state armed groups may be necessary.

• Focus on community engagement sooner rather than later. There is a need to overcome the challenge of vaccine hesitancy, for example.

• Encourage better coordination between key actors involved in the rollout of vaccines. It is only through working together that we can ensure vaccines go from vials on a shelf into the arms of those who need them.

• Ensure that other health and humanitarian priorities are not inadvertently worsened or forgotten about, whilst the world is focussed on fighting the pandemic. We must ensure a holistic approach that recognises the many needs of people in humanitarian settings.

Mark Lowcock, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, said:

We have arrived at what may be the most dangerous period in this pandemic for the poorest and most vulnerable people in the world. There is a clear roadmap for how we can end this pandemic and protect the lives and livelihoods of the world’s most vulnerable people. But the world must act now, on a no regrets basis. The current level of effort is inadequate.

Dr Tedros, WHO Director General, said:

The equation is quite simple: the sooner doses are shared, the sooner we can vaccinate the most vulnerable all over the world. And the sooner we do that, the sooner we can end the pandemic and drive a truly global and inclusive recovery.

Jagan Chapagain, IFRC Secretary General, said:

This meeting was an opportunity to move the needle on accelerating COVID-19 vaccines to last mile populations. History tells us that equity does not happens on its own. We have an opportunity to ensure that all countries can access vaccines but we also need to make sure that those vaccines reach the arms of all the people who need them.

Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director, said:

The last 18 months have provided a dramatic reminder of the importance of making vaccinations available to all, as the main intervention in ending a pandemic like the one we face with COVID-19. By definition, that must include the millions of people living through humanitarian crises. When the virus spreads anywhere, it poses a threat everywhere — especially as it mutates into deadlier or more contagious variants.

Aurélia Nguyen, Managing Director of the COVAX Facility, said:

As we fight this pandemic, we have to protect the most vulnerable. This meeting was hugely important, helping to accelerate plans to deliver COVID-19 vaccines in humanitarian contexts. COVAX’s humanitarian buffer will help countries and humanitarian agencies provide vaccines to all high-risk groups, irrespective of their legal status.

The UK Mission looks forward to continuing this crucial discussion with key partners. Together we can ensure that vaccines turn into vaccinations for those in humanitarian settings.