Bill Gate, billionaire founder of Microsoft, has warned that future pandemics could be worse than the coronavirus pandemic.
On Wednesday, January 19, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation donated $150 million (£110 million) to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation (CEPI).
CEPI plans to utilize the funds to battle coronavirus as well as prepare for any pandemics in the future, according to an announcement made on Tuesday.
In response to CEPI’s work, Gates stated in a statement:
“As the globe grapples with the threat of a rapidly evolving virus, the need for fresh, lifesaving instruments has never been more pressing.”
“The next epidemic that strikes the planet could be worse than the coronavirus.”
“These extraordinary donations will greatly advance CEPI’s aim to prevent epidemic and pandemic risk in the future by producing vaccines against emerging infectious diseases while providing equitable access for all,” said Dr Richard Hatchet, CEO of CEPI.
“Our work over the last 20 years has taught us that early investment in research and development can save lives and avoid worst-case scenarios,” Gates concluded.
Gates took the chance to urge governments to contribute in order to “prevent the spread of future pandemics, some of which could have the potential for a higher fatality rate than the coronavirus pandemic”
In a blog post on Wednesday, Gates explained a few things had gone wrong when it came to Covid, writing;
“Creating new vaccines isn’t enough. We also have to make sure that everyone who can benefit from vaccines has access to them, and that’s where the world has collectively failed in its response to COVID.
“While at least 9 billion doses were distributed in the past year, less than 1% went to people in low-income countries.
“We need to do better the next time the world faces a pathogen that has the potential to spark a pandemic”.
