We heard how we're "fantastic." :) So excited to get this Global Fund update!

...no matter how start, we need to know where things are so can continue to fully advocate.

*stark. please forgive the typo.

We have to meet this moment.

Questions for our speakers? Drop them here and we'll try to get to them!

Does the new remarkably effective mRNA vaccine approach hold any power fighting TB?

I'm concerned about the accessibility of COVID19 testing and underreporting of COVID19 in developing countries. I spent 3 weeks in Zambia from December to January and paid $85 per test. My Zambian brother in law has recently had symptoms, but the test is too expensive for him. He seems to be doing better, but was unable to test. My Zambian best friend's sister had COVID19 and she herself had symptoms. Testing is hard to access and too expensive for them. How do we address that? If testing is too expensive, you can't get a full read on the situation, plus the fact that the governments there are, in fact, underreporting to make themselves look better.

Is the $4 bil for KOVACS the same as the $4 bill for GAVI?

COVAX

thx

Where was $4Billion for COVAX? I haven’t seen any US allocations yet

yes - $4billion for Gavi from the U.S. is for COVAX

Thanks Criskett

Ie - supporting low income country access to COVID vaccines

Of course!

for folks who are interested in COVAX

https://www.who.int/initiatives/act-accelerator/covax

It's just one pillar of the larger ACT-A

Thanks for verifying the funding and purpose. What is ACT-A, Crickett?

ACT-A: https://www.who.int/initiatives/act-accelerator Access to Covid Tools- Accelerator

Thanks!

Thanks for the info Crickett!

Global Fund is a part of the broader ACT-A initiative - trying to get those diagnostics, tests, and treatment out the door

In what ways are GAVI and GFATM coordinating their efforts/working together?

Are there global NGOs that are particularly focussed on growing local capacity to supply PPE that we should also be supporting?

Does the Global Fund have existing money to fund upcoming grant committments?

Does Peter have the sense that other (non-US) countries are willing to step up to boost their global response. Our advocacy is helped, I think, by explaining to our reps, that other wealthy countries are prepared to take extraordinary measures (funding).

I share Susan’s question.

What was the response from French President Macron in your discussions with him ? Did he indicate specific areas of action that he supports ?

What have our speakers found to be the most effective talking points and examples on global relief/aid when speaking to USG/Congressional offices (and while taking into account competing and overlapping US domestic needs)?

Thinking this is the Lancet piece which Peter is referring to: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(20)30420-4/fulltext?rss=yes

I share Peter's worry about the world moving on from COVID. I'm still disturbed by Dr. Pai's point. from December, that we haven't addressed malaria b/c it doesn't impact white, richer countries. We COULD, but we don't. We should address the diseases and health systems more equitably as we share this world.

I agree Lindsay. Thanks for the Lancet link

So, we need to show the leadership that will leverage donations from others....

Bruce Aylward of WHO said at RESULTS Canada annual conference that COVID is not going away, so the only way to protect a country’s own citizens from COVID is to protect the world’s citizens as that is who we work & trade & travel with

We can't just assume COVID-19 can be contained in any other countries. It didn't remain contained and that's how it became global in 2019-20 instead of just national or even local.

If the U.S. wants to call itself a world leader, it must match $$$ with words.

Words with $$$.

agreed, Jim!

Should Biden address the global aspect at the G 7

yes

Both are important. we must tell what we believe as well as commit resources to it.

We hope he does, Yankick. It's been part of our call to the Biden administration during the transition meetings

Thanks

Thanks, Peter!!!

Thank you for the update and insight!

Thanks Peter Sands! Alas I must go for other commitments, see you all in March! stay safe!

Thanks, Peter!

Thanks Peter for your work and your messages

Thank you for being here and for all the points here in the chat here. Great things for us to keep in mind and bring up. We have to meet this moment and stay on our feet as things shift with the variants, seasons changing, and the necessary responses in each place.

Multisystem inflammatory disease, similar to Kawasaki’s affects children

My parents are from Ethiopia and I can relate to the delaying hospitals since they grew up in a place where they couldn’t rely on hospitals and clinics

Behavioral symptoms are a long term effect of COVID

Hesitant to going to the doctor, and advocate for natural remedies/ lifestyle changes

my friend is a doctor in Nairobi and he shares that healthcare workers are not being prioritized or given the resources they were promised to help their communities. there were healthcare worker strikes. thanks for sharing Dr. Namala Mkopi and emphasizing how important the work we do is

I have family in India and I can see that there is a much higher emphasis over there on improving nutrition and taking immunity boosting supplements or herbs that are derived from Ayurveda

One of our international parters from Zambia said the other day when we were on the line with her that people are afraid to go to the hospital because that’s where you go to die.

How much is lack of testing affecting perceptions of Covid in so many poor communities as in Kenya.

I can understand that fear, Ken. Even here in the US it's pretty significant. Many people have put off seeking medical attention for various issues, not just Covid, and it's adding the number of casualties.

We have a RESULTS advocate in Nairobi Kenya (who could not be in this conference) who says the doctors in Kenya are on strike.

True Allen

^^truth, Ken, especially the government hospitals in Zambia. I've visited them and it was scary. It broke my heart. Not really, consistent quality health care there in the govt or private, but govt is just....those some of those facilities are literally falling apart. Why would someone want to go to a facility that is falling apart and trust that they would be cared for and recover to leave themselves healthier than before?

I saw news headlines in Zambia, when I was just there recently, identifying that people were afraid to get tested for COVID19. :-/

The fear of testing seemed to be in more rural areas, but there is still a lack of trust about the reality of COVID19 risks, safety protocols, etc. in Zambia.

yes, we must act TOGETHER. love this message Dr. Namala. thank you

👏🏾

Hugs to you Namala! THANK YOU!!!

Thank you, Dr. Namala.

Thanks Dr Namala

Thank you for the message and insight Dr. Namala!

Thanks Dr. Mkopi!

Thank you, Dr. Namala!

Thank you Dr. Namala!

Very informative Dr. Namala.

thank you Dr. Namala!

So if COVID mutates in another country into a form our vaccines don’t work. We could relive 2020 again.