Singapore, Oct. 21 -- The global effort to ensure equitable global access to COVID-19 vaccines received a boost with the announcement of a major pledge by the Government of Japan.

Speaking at the Ministerial Meeting of the Group of Friends of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan unveiled a commitment of $130 million to the Gavi COVAX Advance Market Commitment (COVAX AMC), a financing mechanism that will reserve and accelerate safe and efficient vaccines against COVID-19 to countries across the Global South.

In order to reserve and access one billion doses for AMC-eligible economies, the Gavi COVAX AMC has set an initial fundraising goal of $2 billion by the end of 2020 to reserve and accelerate doses...