Singapore to contribute US$15 million to help the development of vaccines

[ASEAN NOW News]

Screengrab image of Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung speaking at the Global Pandemic Preparedness Summit. (Image: CEPI Global Pandemic Preparedness Summit website)

 

SINGAPORE: Singapore is contributing US$15 million (S$20.5 million) in total over the next five years to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), a global partnership that works to accelerate the development of vaccines against emerging infectious diseases, reported CNA.

 

Announcing this at the Global Pandemic Preparedness Summit on Wednesday (Mar 9), Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said: "More than two years into the pandemic, the world has not yet emerged from the shadow of COVID-19.

 

“While the future development of the pandemic remains uncertain, what we are certain of is that we need a coordinated, multilateral response to a crisis of such global scale and spread. We can never coordinate our actions as fast as a new variant will spread; but try we must."

 

The summit is co-hosted by the CEPI and the UK government. According to the CEPI website, the summit brings together leaders to back CEPI's US$3.5 billion plan and explore a response to the next infectious disease by making safe, effective vaccines in 100 days.

 

In his virtual speech to the summit, Mr Ong pointed to “previously unimaginable” border closures, lockdowns, nationwide vaccination exercises and the “unprecedented rapid development of vaccines and therapeutics”. 

 

“Meanwhile, trillions have been spent to prop up local economies and healthcare systems, even as the costs in human lives and ill health accumulate,” he added. 

 

Investing in global transnational pandemic preparedness capabilities made “good sound sense”, Mr Ong told the summit.

 

One key area of pandemic preparedness is vaccine development and production, he said, adding that this is where the CEPI plays an "indispensable role in the global health architecture".

 

"Transnational issues such as research and development, and scaling up manufacturing and distribution capabilities and capacity for vaccines require increased collective financing and action," he added.