The Nov. 27 editorial “No one is safe until everyone is” was right to call for immediate U.S. investment in coronavirus vaccine access for low-income countries. As the piece observed, the United States will not be safe from the coronavirus until the pandemic is under control around the world. Vaccine delivery will depend on health systems, and many of those systems are facing serious challenges, including disruption of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria programs.
In Africa, there is an urgent need to scale up coronavirus diagnostics and recruit and protect health-care workers with personal protective equipment. An effective, comprehensive response would include vaccines and essential services without delay. The United States must invest in vaccines, through Gavi — a public-private global health partnership with the goal of increasing access to immunization in poor countries — and other programs, as well as crucial services such as coronavirus personal protective equipment, diagnostics and treatments through the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Both programs have proven-effective delivery systems and partners ready to save lives.
Chris Collins, Washington
The writer is president and chief
executive of Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, TB and Malaria.