GEORGETOWN, May 8 (WNM/Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security) - A commentary published in The Lancet addresses existing and future challenges of global disparities in access to critical medical supplies, equipment, medications, and other materiel in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31093-X/fulltext#%20).

The authors note, “A governance crisis is unfolding alongside the pandemic as health officials around the world compete for access to scarce medical supplies.” Low- and middle-income countries around the world continue to struggle as they are forced to compete against wealthier nations to obtain access to testing kits and supplies and personal protective equipment, and similar challenges likely await them once medical countermeasures, including vaccines, become available.

The article focuses on challenges in Africa, but similar barriers exist elsewhere as well. Africa has reported relatively few cases, compared to other continents, but this is likely a reflection of testing availability rather than lower rates of transmission. South Africa has demonstrated success utilizing large-scale testing, but this capacity is not present in many other African nations.

A combination of national and coordinated international (e.g., under the Africa CDC) efforts have increased testing availability across the continent, but capacity remains well below the recommended level.

The authors acknowledge governments’ responsibility to protect their own citizens, but they urge political leaders to consider the broader global need to ensure equitable access to all countries, in terms of both testing capacity and future MCM availability, including vaccines. Increased funding support, coordinated and pooled efforts to purchase supplies, and distributed manufacturing capacity could serve to mitigate disparities in access to critical supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic and future large-scale health emergencies, but a coordinated international effort and commitment to equitable access are needed.