The Head of the Global Vaccine Group Gavi Is Resigning. Here ’s What He Learned During the Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic was a crucible for the public health world, and perhaps none were tested more than Gavi, the global nonprofit that makes vaccines its business. Faced with ensuring that the COVID-19 vaccines reached as many people in the developing world as possible, the organization created a new entity, COVAX, that served as the conduit for purchasing and distributing vaccines for the lowest-resource countries in the world. Dr. Seth Berkley, who has headed the organization for years, is stepping down in August when his current term ends. In a conversation with TIME, Berkley reflects on his tenure and what he, Gavi, and the world can learn from what went right in the world’s response to COVID-19—and what went wrong. (This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.) [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] TIME: Why did you decide to step down? I came in 2011 for a three-year term, and then they asked me to renew for another four years, and then another four years. Then they asked me to do an additional year because of COVID-19, so I’m 12 years into it now, and my term is done. That’s more than a decade at Gavi. How are things different now compared to when you started? The original idea for Gavi was that there were powerful new vaccines that were being made and used in wealthy countries. They could have the most effect in the poorest countries that didn’t have good health care systems, but there was no way to get them there. T...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized COVID-19 healthscienceclimate Source Type: news