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The ACT-Accelerator Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator

A coordinated, global response to the pandemic is needed now more than ever. Only united can we fight COVID-19.

Our role in the
ACT-Accelerator

The Global Fund is a founding partner of the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-Accelerator). This global collaboration of leading public health agencies is working with governments, civil society and industry to accelerate the development and equitable distribution of tests, treatments and vaccines – and the strengthening of health systems – that the world needs to fight COVID-19.

The Global Fund is co-leading on two of the ACT-Accelerator’s four components – the Diagnostics Pillar and Health Systems Connector – and we are also supporting on procurement and distribution for the Therapeutics Pillar.

ACT-Accelerator progress

Targets

Since April 2020, the ACT-Accelerator partnership has supported the fastest, most coordinated, and successful global effort in history to develop tools to fight a disease. The ACT-Accelerator has driven real progress, delivering diagnostic tests, repurposed treatments, and vaccines.

By the end of 2021, the ACT-Accelerator aims to deliver at least 900 million diagnostic tests, 100 million courses of treatment and 2 billion doses of vaccine to low- and middle-income countries.

Yet inequity in access to COVID-19 tools remains unacceptably high, and new variants of concern continue to emerge around the globe. There is still much more to be done to fight this virus. Only united and through a comprehensive approach of all these interventions and tools can we defeat COVID-19.

The ACT-Accelerator
ACT-Accelerator
Funding Tracker
ACT-Accelerator 2021
Strategy and Budget

Mobilizing more

The Global Fund is committed to working with our ACT-Accelerator partners to mobilize the funds needed for the global COVID-19 response, and to play our part in supporting low- and middle-income countries to deploy safe and effective diagnostics and treatments, protect health workers and strengthen health systems.

Diagnostics Pillar

Testing is the first line of defense against COVID-19. Without testing, we cannot track or contain the spread of the virus, address urgent clinical needs, test the efficacy of vaccination, and detect the emergence of new variants.

With the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND), the Global Fund co-leads the Diagnostics Pillar. The Pillar is working to ensure equitable access to testing tools, stimulate rapid and effective uptake of testing in countries, and drive the development and availability of high-quality, affordable and easy-to-use tests.

The Global Fund is focused on the procurement of antigen rapid diagnostic tests (Ag RDTs) and molecular polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, the strengthening of laboratory infrastructure and capacities, and significant requirements for training and technical assistance.

Therapeutics Pillar

WHO-recommended therapeutic treatments like corticosteroids and medical oxygen play a critical role in the COVID-19 response. Limited access to oxygen to treat COVID-19 is an emergency impacting more than half a million people in low- and middle-income countries every day. Ensuring treatments can be made available as soon as possible is particularly urgent to reduce the COVID-19 burden on health systems.

With WHO and Unitaid, the Global Fund co-leads the Therapeutics Pillar workstream on procurement and delivery of treatments for low- and middle-income countries. The Global Fund is also a key partner in the COVID-19 Oxygen Emergency Taskforce, which brings together key organizations working on oxygen access under the Therapeutics Pillar to measure oxygen demand, work with financing partners, and secure oxygen supplies and technical support for affected countries.

Health Systems Connector

Co-led by the World Bank, WHO and the Global Fund, the Health Systems Connector equips health care workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) to safely deliver essential health services. The Health Systems Connector also supports countries in identifying and addressing key bottlenecks in order to effectively deploy diagnostic tests, therapeutic treatments and vaccines.

The Global Fund is engaged in all workstreams of the Health Systems Connector and focuses on the procurement of PPE, the strengthening of supply chains, and supporting community-led responses.

ACT-Accelerator progress

As of 18th June 2021

Diagnostics Pillar Progress

ACT-Accelerator

  • Over 80.7 million COVID-19 tests (36.4 million PCR tests and 44.3 million Ag RDTs tests) have been procured for low- and middle-income countries.
  • Over 23,000 health care workers are being trained in almost 200 countries to effectively implement the tests.
  • Over 60 RDTs have been independently assessed and benchmarked against quality criteria to inform government procurement of quality COVID-19 tests.
  • Fast-tracked access to 120 million affordable, high quality Ag RDTs for lowand middle-income countries has been secured.
  • Regionalized manufacturing and technology transfers have been improved to increase global manufacturing capacity of quality and affordable RDTs.

The Global Fund, as part of ACT-Accelerator

To date, US$189 million placed as requisitions for 21.3 million diagnostic tests (and associated costs for their effective deployment) across 88 countries through the Global Fund’s Pooled Procurement Mechanism and/or on wambo.org.

  • Requisitions for 3.9 million automated PCR diagnostic tests across 83 countries
  • Requisitions for 15.7 million Ag RDT tests across 36 countries
  • Requisitions for 1.7 million manual PCR diagnostic tests

Therapeutics Pillar Progress

ACT-Accelerator

  • 3.2 million lifesaving dexamethasone treatments have been supplied (including 2.9 million by UNICEF)
  • Over 300 actionable trials across product categories have been tracked and two large randomized controlled platform trials have been supported, which led to the identification of the first lifesaving therapy, dexamethasone.
  • The research agenda continues to advance for monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) adapted for LMICs, small molecule novel antivirals (SM NAV) and repurposed therapeutics.
  • Global guidance has been provided on the clinical use of corticosteroids (including dexamethasone) and its use integrated with medical oxygen into good clinical care to treat those severely affected.
  • 15 clinical trials have been supported, and 21 therapies are being investigated in 47 countries.

The Global Fund, as part of ACT-Accelerator

Following WHO recommendation, the Global Fund is supporting the use of corticosteroids for COVID-19. Global Fund implementers can include corticosteroids for COVID-19 in COVID-19 funding requests. Since August 2020, the Global Fund has made available the procurement of oxygen equipment products on wambo.org. The Global Fund has currently funded up to US$166 million for oxygen products.

Health Systems Connector Progress

ACT-Accelerator

  • ACT-Accelerator partners have procured more than US$500 million in PPE for low- and middle-income countries.
  • System requirements for the delivery of COVID-19 tools have been mapped in four out of six world regions.
  • Country readiness for the deployment of COVID-19 vaccines has been assessed in 128 LMICs.
  • Global and regional guidance and training materials have been developed to support health financing and COVID-19 costing, strengthen community engagement in the COVID-19 response, bolster critical supply chain capabilities, and enhance engagement with the private sector and several other critical areas.

The Global Fund, as part of ACT-Accelerator

  • US$406 million of C19RM funds have been approved for the provision of personal protective equipment (PPEs).
  • 52 countries have purchased PPEs on wambo.org

ACT-Accelerator Funding

As of 4th June 2021 (Source: WHO)

Funding gap

  • US$18.1 billion

Total funds committed

Over US$15.1 billion

  • Vaccines: US$9.5 billion
  • Therapeutics: US$700 million
  • Diagnostics: US$1 billion
  • Health Systems: US$500 million
  • Pending allocation to/by pillars: US$3.3 billion

Learn more about our operational response to COVID-19

Response Mechanism

Published 14 April 2021

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