EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Directorate General for Health
The Acting Director General
Brussels, 5 October 2020
MEETING REPORT
Subject:
Meeting with Medecins sans Frontieres - MSF
1.
Participants
Medecins Sans Frontieres
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European Commission
- Sandra Gallina, Director General (acting)
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2.
Details
The meeting was organised through videoconference to take stoke and exchange views
on global efforts to provide vaccines to DCs notably through COVAX. MSF presented
their work and current experience in vaccination campaigns in Africa, notably the most
recent one against Ebola. MSF works in coordination with UNICEF and Gavi, the
Alliance for global vaccines, through a multi-disciplinary team covering procuring and
delivery (with UNICEF), awareness raising of communities and vaccination campaigns
(with WHO and UNICEF).
Discussion turned around humanitarian access to vaccines for vulnerable groups left
behind by governments and authorities (refugees, minorities, people in conflict areas
internally displaced people, etc). COVAX will ensure distribution of vaccines for up to
20% of countries population but governments may avoid distribution to some groups,
those “falling out of the net”. This is where humanitarian support provided by MSF is
necessary.
COVAX has put aside 100 million doses for humanitarian purposes, to cover around 50
million people. The criteria and conditions to distribute and use this volume is unknown.
The European Commission explained the donation clauses in concluded in all contracts
negotiated and concluded by the EC. The details and criteria on how to organise possible
donations for humanitarian purposes from the EU reserved allocation of vaccines is still
to be defined. Some costs associated to distribution of donations will require additional
funding that is not available now.
The COVAX “Humanitarian buffer” was discussed, the EC agreed to share information
as soon as the allocation criteria will be made available by WHO and Gavi. MSF would
reflect on the most appropriate way to source vaccines for humanitarian purposes, either
through COVAX buffer or through EU donations. Liability linked to any kind of
donation was discussed. Liability clauses are usually well established in well-known and
widely used vaccines, while it is not the case in COVID vaccines not developed yet.
Both sides agree to stay in touch and revert to future coordination meetings as soon as
there are new developments.
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