Diagnostics Pillar News Today

ACT-Accelerator launches six month plan as world transitions to long-term COVID-19 control - The Maravi Post

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria has signed an agreement with Pfizer for the procurement of the new oral antiviral medicine nirmatrelvir/ritonavir, sold under the name PAXLOVID™

The Global Fund has signed a letter of intent with Pfizer for the procurement of up to 6 million treatment courses of the new oral antiviral medicine nirmatrelvir/ritonavir, sold under the name PAXLOVID™, in 2022-2023.

The Global Fund, the United States and Unitaid, together with FIND and other ACT-Accelerator partners, are launching over US$120 million in support to countries for test-and-treat programs to prevent hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19 for those most at risk in low- and middle-income countries

In access to testing, we continue to see this lack of decisive leadership in all spheres. Something must be done to expedite the procedures to enable deployment of community-based and self-tests now. We stand as co-actors in gross inequity. And we will stand for it no further.

The partnership will optimise and scale the capacity needed to identify SARS-CoV-2 VOC and VOI

A new agreement reached by the Global Fund and several producers of COVID-19 antigen rapid diagnostic tests (Ag RDTs) has resulted in a significant drop in the price of these tests, potentially making the products more affordable for many governments of low- and middle-income countries.

The accuracy of existing molecular (PCR, NAAT) tests appears uncompromised by COVID-19 variant Omicron (B.1.1.529), designated a Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday. Preliminary evidence suggests that this is also true for the accuracy of rapid antigen tests.

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 partners to accelerate the development, production and equitable delivery of new tests, treatments, vaccines and health supplies worldwide. Meeting in Rome in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders stressed the urgent need to increase investments in health...

G20 leaders boost support of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator but urgent and immediate action is needed to maintain momentum Format 21 May 2021 | Geneva -- World leaders today met at the Global Health Summit, co-hosted by the European Commission and Italy as part of its G20 presidency, to adopt an agenda to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, and develop and endorse a Rome Declaration of principles, at a time when the virus is surging and spreading uncontrollably in many parts of the ...