Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help ensure immediate access to (a) vaccines and (b) treatments in (i) sub-Saharan Africa and (ii) other areas where there is a surge in covid-19 cases and deaths.

The UK has played a leading role in supporting global access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines and treatments from the outset of the pandemic and stands side by side with our international friends and partners during this deeply challenging time to tackle COVID-19. The UK is among the largest donors to COVAX, which has so far shipped over 107 million COVID-19 vaccines to 135 participants, including 47 countries in Africa. It aims to provide doses equivalent to up to 30% population in low- and middle-income countries by early 2022. The UK has also pledged up to £40 million to the COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator to support the rapid development of, and access to, treatments for COVID-19 in low and middle income countries.

The UK is proud that our G7 Presidency secured agreement from leaders to support vaccinating the world in 2022 and to share and finance an additional 1 billion doses over the next year to accelerate vaccine roll-out. This includes a commitment from the UK to share 100 million doses, 80% of which will go to COVAX to support countries in need, with 5 million doses to be shared by the end of September beginning in the coming weeks. We continue to work closely with the G7 and international partners on expanding global access, including efforts to mobilise international financing, increase vaccine supply and support in-country delivery, including community mobilisation and efforts to build vaccine confidence.