Also, Norway, CMC – The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at enhancing regional epidemic and pandemic preparedness.
The MoU also allows the two organizations to support infectious disease prevention and response and more significant equity in access to vaccines and other health technologies in the Americas, including the Caribbean.
The partnership will enable them to share technical expertise, knowledge, and experience and strengthen support to member states and partners in the Latin America and Caribbean region in areas related to vaccine research and development and the rapid deployment of vaccines against emerging infectious diseases.
“A key lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic is the need to ensure more equitable access to vaccines and health technologies for countries in Latin America and the Caribbean,” said PAHO Director Jarbas Barbosa.
“This collaboration aims to support efforts to increase regional vaccine development and manufacturing capacity in the Region and ensure countries are better prepared to handle present and future health emergencies,” he added.
CEPI chief executive officer Richard Hatchett said CEPI is delighted to formalize this new relationship with PAHO.
“This partnership will enable both organizations to draw on the strengths of the other and help to fortify our defenses against emerging infectious diseases across the Americas. Through global partnerships, like this one with PAHO, we can forge a pathway to a pandemic-free future, one where collaboration becomes the catalyst for stronger global health security.”
Additionally, the organizations say they will further seek to enhance disease surveillance, vaccine manufacturing, and research and clinical trial capacity in Latin America and the Caribbean.
This will support equitable and timely access to vaccines and health technologies for epidemic and pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. CEPI and PAHO will further explore how best to leverage their expertise and resources to achieve these shared goals, identifying synergies to support projects of mutual interest without duplicating efforts or resources.
The MoU builds on previous fruitful collaborations between CEPI and PAHO over the years, including fostering technology transfer to facilitate regional vaccine manufacturing and supply.
CEPI was launched in 2017 as an innovative partnership between public, private, philanthropic, and civil organizations. Its mission is to accelerate the development of vaccines and other biological countermeasures against epidemic and pandemic disease threats and enable equitable access.
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